


Right In Front of You

by MarauderNo5



Category: Love Island (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Best Friends, Character Development, Drama, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Love, Love Island: The Game Season 2, Making Up, Not Canon Compliant, Smut, Sometimes NSFA, Sometimes OOC
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:14:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 35
Words: 133,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25191487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarauderNo5/pseuds/MarauderNo5
Summary: Fighting against her better judgment, Gemma finds herself as one of the original Islanders on Love Island 2019. Will she be able to get over the hurt of all her past relationships or will she fall back into her old patterns? Can friendships survive such a tense environment?This is an in-villa fic roughly using the storyline of S2, but I've changed quite a bit. Hope you enjoy it!
Relationships: Bobby McKenzie/Main Character (Love Island), Lucas Koh/Main Character (Love Island)
Comments: 600
Kudos: 180





	1. Here We Go

**Author's Note:**

> Please be gentle as this is my first fic that I've posted. My goal here is to give some more depth to the characters we all know and love (or love to hate). This is definitely going to be an interesting ride and I promise it's not going to be the same end game as you're used to. I hope I can make you fall at least a little in love with some of the other characters. It may start of sunshine and rainbows but I promise, it doesn't stay that way.
> 
> Huge thanks to NeLd13 for being such an awesome person and pushing me to get this posted.

Gemma could not believe that she was actually going through with this. She had gone back and forth probably ten times about whether or not this was a good idea. Yet, here she was, sitting in the back of a black SUV headed to the villa she would be spending the rest of her summer in, if she was lucky. She had applied to be on Love Island 2019 with a few of her girlfriends after going through a pretty awful break-up. They had been out drinking and getting Gemma’s mind off of things when they had all decided it would be funny to give it a shot. It turned out to be especially funny when Gemma made it all the way through the interview and was selected to be one of the original ten Islanders on Day 1. 

Although she could be an incredibly social person, Gemma was seriously wondering what she was going to do without her best friends, Lila and Carmen. They had been with her all the way up until they dropped her off at the airport yesterday, issuing constant words of encouragement and advice. That had continued, thankfully, all the way until this morning. However, when she had gone down to meet the car, she knew that was the last time she would hear from them until she was out of the villa. Her personal devices had been taken and a new phone with very limited capabilities had replaced her iPhone, which was basically part of her. Gemma had let the driver load her things into the back of the SUV and nodded in understanding when he said not to bother with them when the car came to a stop. 

Looking out the window, Gemma appreciated the beauty in the Spanish landscape. She had been to Spain before, numerous times in fact, but somehow this all made it seem different. Gemma had been a competitive ballroom dancer for years and she especially loved all the Latin dances. Competitions often had her traveling all over Europe, which meant that she had to rely more on her dance community than being a normal kid in school. She had always made new friends easily, but it was sometimes keeping those friends that was more difficult. And sometimes the other girls in the dance community could be cruel or jealous, so Gemma always found it easier to be friends with boys. As they got older, that got a little bit harder as Gemma developed. She had figured that she would have fuller hips because her mother had them. Her mother was from Spain, another reason she had visited the country a number of times before, but had been very light skinned with light brown hair and green eyes. Her mother had been in England when she met Gemma’s father, a handsome heir to a real estate and development business in London. He was tall and very fair with white blonde hair and blue eyes. Although his parents had not initially supported the relationship, they grew to appreciate it.

It was weird, being dressed only in a bathing suit in the back of an SUV. Gemma had expressed that concern in a group text the night before with Lila and Carmen, only to have both girls, who had also danced at various points in their lives, point out it was hardly less clothing than if Gemma was dancing. When Gemma tried to point out this was for a TV show, Carmen sent the eye roll emoji asking how many people had watched the competitions for the three straight years that Gemma had been named the World Champion in Latin Ballroom. It was a valid point. Although Gemma could handle most ballroom dances, the Latin dances were her comfort. And, unlike a Waltz that called for a floor length dress, many Latin dances emphasized less clothing in the costumes as the dancers got older. With her friends approval, Gemma had chosen a floral bikini that showed off her ample cleavage. The top was a halter, dipping low in the front and the bottoms offered just enough coverage over her bum that it wasn’t completely indecent, but not so much that her cheeks were completely covered. She had paired the bathing suit with simple wedges, figuring that would be easier in navigating the grass before she got used to it. They were also a help because she was only 5’3 and could use the extra height help. 

The SUV started to come to a stop and Gemma nervously peeked out the window as the villa came into view. There was something completely different about seeing it in person now after having binged the entire series so far. Everything looked infinitely more impressive. The driver had told her at some point along the drive that when they got to the villa, she was going to get out of the car and stand in some sort of pose, which the cameras would film. The producer on scene would let her know if they needed to re-film. The SUV stopped and Gemma took a deep breath. Lila and Carmen were right. She was so comfortable performing on a stage with thousands, or even millions, of eyes on her. But this was not supposed to be a performance and Gemma had not been lucky in love in her life. Then again, maybe this wasn’t all about love. Maybe it was about getting even more footing in the next phase of her career. With that thought, Gemma opened the door with a smile, and stepped out, looking up at the villa in front of her. When she had exited the car, she stepped, separating her legs and popping her hip with her hand placed on it. She looked directly into the camera with a smoldering gaze before she giggled and flipped her hair over her shoulder, shifting her weight to the other hip.

“Was that good?” Gemma asked as the cameraman moved off her.

“Good? That was bloody sexy!” A woman said earnestly. She was tall and dressed in dress pants with a nice blouse, despite the heat. She had a headset on and a clipboard in hand. “You must be… Gemma.”

“Yeah.” Gemma said and smiled. 

“Great. I’m Paula, one of the production assistants. You’ll probably see us around a bit for the first few days at least and then ideally less of us,” She said quickly.

“It’s great to…” Gemma said, but Paula was looking over her shoulder at another SUV pulling up.

“Ah yes, this is our next Islander, you’re the first two here so she’ll step out and we’ll film that. Then, you and her should greet each other, so we can get that on film,” Paula said.

“Okay…” Gemma started again but Paula was looking at a guy by the cameraman.

“Stephen, get Gemma’s mic on her,” Paula said.

Stephen looked slightly uncomfortable with his task as he reached around Gemma’s waist to fasten the band that he would then use to attach the mic pack. As he was doing so, Gemma watched the door to the second SUV open. 

A tall girl stepped out with impeccable fashion sense and long braids hanging down her back. The braids had little gold rings interspersed in them. Her rich, mocha skin was smooth and just stunning on her slender frame. She nearly tripped though, and they had to film the scene a second time. This time, she oozed confidence as she stood with hands on both hips, feet set wide apart, smirking at the camera. Gemma had become aware of Stephen’s hands lingering a little bit and cleared her throat to prompt him to finish the job. He finished quickly as the new girl looked in Gemma’s direction, her eyes alight. She already had her mic pack on. At the direction of the camera, both girls were now allowed to acknowledge each other. The new girl squeaked and rushed toward Gemma.

“Babes, hi.” She rushed over to wrap her arms around Gemma. “I’m Hope.”

“So good to meet you, I’m Gemma.” Gemma smiled at her first fellow Islander.

“How are you feeling?” Hope asked.

“Oh, trying to keep it cool,” Gemma said breezily.

“I can’t even pretend I’m doing that, did you see I nearly fell out of the car?” Hope asked and Gemma smiled. “Can you imagine how it would’ve looked if I ended up flat on my face?”

“I’m hoping to end up flat on my back.” Gemma wondered who could have said that, not even able to believe those words had come from her mouth.

“Cheeky!” Hope squealed, nudging her. “Or face down in a pillow would work okay too, you know?”

“Now who’s cheeky!” Hope winked at her.

“Love that girls, no need to shoot anything else!” Paula said.

“Well it sounds like we might both want to check out the bedroom, shall we?” Hope asked, nudging Gemma playfully.

“Lead the way,” Gemma said and Hope smiled, stringing her arm through Gemma’s.

Gemma was happy that the first girl seemed to be easy to get along with on the first impression. Although, how much were first impressions to actually go on? The girls walked into the villa and Hope seemed to find the bedroom straight away, as promised. Just like seeing the villa in person for the first time, seeing the bedroom for the first time was definitely a wake-up. The walls were covered in neon sayings, largely from seasons past and Gemma could tell that Hope was feeling just the same. There were eight beds, waiting to be claimed and re-claimed over the course of the next six weeks. Hope sat on the edge of the bed.

“Oooh, come sit down Gemma,” Hope cooed and Gemma settled on the bed next to her.

“Comfy!” Gemma said. “So, at least we know the lack of sleep won’t be because of the bed.”

“Girl, I’m going to have some competition with you,” Hope said with a laugh. 

Gemma was about to respond when the clack of heels told them another girl was approaching. The new girl entered and Gemma immediately thought she might be a big personality. Her skin was incredibly pale and covered in a decent amount of beautifully done tattoos. Her platinum blonde hair, clearly dyed, turned bubble gum pink halfway down. Despite that, she had a distinctive goth look to her.

“Hey girls, I’m Lottie.” A clear Australian accent came through.

“I’m Hope and this is Gemma.” Lottie leaned in to kiss her on the cheek before doing the same to Gemma.

“You two are going to be some fierce competition,” Lottie said appreciatively, before looking over to Gemma. “Girl, I love your fashion sense.”

“Thanks, babes!” Gemma said warmly.

“And Hope, I love your make-up,” Lottie said.

“I was going to say I love yours! I can’t afford to go as bold with my work,” Hope said.

“I’m a make-up artist, so it comes with the territory,” Lottie said, still smiling at the compliment.

“Girls, I think we should go in search of some bubbles, don’t you?” Hope asked, taking charge.

The three of them walked out to the backyard and luckily, immediately found a couple of bottles of champagne sitting in buckets on the kitchen counter. Hope popped the first bottle and poured a glass for each of them. 

“So, what do you do?” Lottie asked Hope. 

“Oh, I’m in sales and marketing for a major toy brand,” Hope said airily but it was clear she was very proud of her position. 

“Oh wow!” Gemma said and Hope beamed.

“What about you, Gemma?” Hope asked.

“I teach dance but I’m also an aspiring singer,” Gemma said and Lottie looked impressed.

“Have you recorded any songs yet?” Lottie asked.

“A few, I’ve mostly done some vocals for DJs,” Gemma said and Lottie was clearly trying to fight from being impressed as the door opened and another girl entered.

She had fair skin and a long strawberry plait that fell down her back. She was slender without much in the way of hips or a chest and her face looked young. Everything about her seemed unsure and possibly even unprepared to be here.

“I was hoping I wouldn’t be first,” She said nervously as she came over. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

“Hardly, we’re all just meeting each other.” Lottie welcomed her over. 

“I’m Hannah,” she said sweetly.

“I’m Hope,” Hope said, taking charge, before turning to Lottie, “And this is Lottie, and that’s Gemma.”

“It’s so nice to meet you all!” Hannah said and Gemma smiled at her sweet nature.

“So, how come you’re single? No good men in the music scene?” Hope asked Gemma and Hannah looked surprised.

“She’s a singer,” Lottie said in an aside to Hannah.

“An _aspiring_ singer. I don’t really feel like I’ve made it yet,” Gemma said, blushing. “But, no, I find it’s best not to mix work and pleasure, you know?”

“Oh, babe, don’t I know it,” Hope said knowingly.

“Not really a problem as a make-up artist.” Lottie chuckled.

“Books always made it seem like Prince Charming was right around the corner, maybe mine never got the message,” Hannah sighed. 

“Maybe you’ll find your Prince this summer, Hannah,” Gemma said, feeling an unexpected affection for the sweet, naïve girl.

“Oh, I hope!” Hannah said, eyes alight. 

“I feel like we’re going to be this really awesome group of girls that helps get each other all coupled up,” Lottie said.

“It’s definitely important to be considerate of each other’s feelings in here,” Gemma agreed, “but, I do want to find love.”

“Oh, I know, girl, I know,” Lottie said and Hannah nodded.

The opening of the door made them pause and turn to the villa again to see the final girl coming out. Gemma mentally smiled that she would not be the shortest, as the new girl looked barely over five feet, once you took out the height from her heels. Lottie and Hannah were both maybe around 5’6 or a little under and Hope was probably closer to 5’7 or a little over. The new addition had slightly tanned skin and very curious eyes behind her black-rimmed glasses.

“I’m the last one it seems,” she said casually as she reached them. “I’m Marisol.”

“What a pretty name!” Hope said, reaching over to give her a kiss on the cheek.

“I’m Gemma,” Gemma said and smiled, leaning in as well.

“And I’m Lottie, this is Hannah.” Lottie finished.

“I hope I haven’t missed too much,” Marisol said.

“Not at all, let’s get you a drink and have a toast,” Hope said and Marisol smiled.

“That I can definitely support,” Marisol said as Hope handed her a glass, Lottie had already gotten one for Hannah and they popped the second bottle for top ups. 

“What shall we toast to?” Hannah asked.

“To the summer of our lives!” Hope said and they all clinked glasses before taking a sip.

“Gemma, you never really said why you were single,” Lottie observed.

“I’m first up, huh?” Gemma asked, laughing a little nervously. “I got out of a really bad relationship about eight months ago and then just kind of applied for the show on a whim with some girlfriends, and here we are.”

“If what I’ve seen so far is anything to go off of, it’s definitely his loss.” Hope said and actually seemed sincere.

Gemma plastered a smile in place and somewhat tuned out as the other girls were speaking about why they were single. She heard Hope say that she just did not really have the time with work, but nothing after that. 

Was it his loss? The relationship had lasted the better part of two years and they were engaged. They had been friends for several years before dating and the engagement came fast. After the engagement, they moved in together and it all went downhill from there. Gemma had always been in good shape as a dancer, but she had curves, which most men seemed to drool over. She had full hips and too much chest to have ever been a ballerina. Instead, Callum had always made her feel self-conscious. He would second guess nearly everything she wore. If he wasn’t making her feel self-conscious about her image, he was implying that what she was wearing would attract too much male attention and imply that she was not being considerate of his feelings. It always seemed like he had time for everyone else before her. In the end, she walked into their shared flat, back home early from a visit to her parents’ house, to find him in bed with a mutual friend. At first, Callum had convinced Gemma it had been only the one time and that Autumn had seduced him. But, eventually, Autumn fessed up that it had been going on nearly a year, showing Gemma endless proof. Gemma packed all of her stuff when he was out of town, with the help of Carmen and Lila, and left him a note with the ring. Even though Autumn had been honest, Gemma could not remain friends with her. It had forced the pair back together and now they lived in that flat. Gemma tuned back in without the other girls seeming to notice.

“Okay ladies, what are our types?” Hope asked. 

“Everyone I’ve dated has looked a little different,” Marisol says.

“I’m looking for someone hot at first, I don’t mind admitting it, I mean, we’ll be judging them just on looks,” Lottie said.

“I think you can tell a lot in a short time,” Marisol said, disagreeing slightly.

“If there’s a strong, silent type, I don’t know if I’ll be able to resist.” Hope said with a shudder as there was a ping. 

“Oooooh, girls! I’ve got a text!” Lottie said with a wicked smile before opening it to read it out. “ _Girls, soon it’ll be time to meet the boys, but first, please head inside. You’ll be placed in order that you’ll enter the backyard to meet the boys. #readytomingle #lookingforlove._ ”


	2. First Impressions Count for Something

The girls were giggling as they walked back inside the villa and found more cameras waiting inside the living room. There had been two cameramen outside, but Gemma also knew that there were stationary cameras placed all around the villa. Paula was there again and smiling as the girls circled around. Evidently the boys were currently being brought around to the back where they would be lined up. The girls would exit through the door, one by one. The host would also be waiting out there to give a quick introduction. Then, each girl would have a chance to walk down each of the boys. After that, the girls would return to their mark and ask any boys that fancied them to step forward. But, they weren’t safe. Even once the boys had been selected, they could still step forward for a new girl. On top of that, a girl could choose a boy that was already in a couple

Paula then went to put them in order. Much to her surprise and dismay, Gemma was going to be the first girl out. Even though it meant she would have her pick of any guy without stealing someone else’s guy, it also meant her choice could be stolen. After her was Lottie, Marisol, Hope, and finally Hannah. Hope did not seem to be thrilled at the idea of going second to last and it was clear she and Marisol were not opposed to stealing someone else’s guy, even though Hope had not admitted as much. Far sooner than Gemma expected, she was being told to exit through the sliding door and go find her man. 

Gemma took a brief, steadying breath with her eyes closed and then took a confident step forward. Another person slid the door open and Gemma found the difference startlingly bright. Had it been this bright when she was out here a few minutes earlier? She walked down the path, almost gliding as she settled into her normal walk. She was a dancer by nature and she moved smoothly. Rounding the corner, she saw the host standing a bit apart from a row of five of the fittest guys that Gemma had ever seen. She tried to continue playing it cool and let a small smile play at her lips.

“Okay boys, first up we have Gemma.” Lauren, the host, said, consulting a notecard. “Gemma is 25 years old from London. She’s a dance teacher and an aspiring singer, who has already recorded a couple songs. Her quote is: Never judge a book by its cover.”

Gemma tried to maintain her air of mystery and started looking over the boys. The first one was covered in muscles with an elaborate tattoo of some sort of gear up the lower part of his leg. He was the shortest of the guys but he certainly had a nice body and short blonde hair. Then again, he was still easily half a foot taller than Gemma, so who was really keeping track? He quirked an eyebrow and said hello, introducing himself as Gary. Moving on to the next guy, Gemma found herself looking at an attractive guy, just a little bit taller than the first, with shaggy brown curls that were carefree and a mischievous grin. Before he opened his mouth, Gemma was into his vibe. But, then he did he and after introducing himself as Rocco, started talking about auras and deep meaningful connections. Next!

The third guy was over 6’ for sure with skin somewhere around a lighter mocha. He was definitely the strong and silent type Hope had mentioned. Gemma didn’t usually find brown eyes so captivating but they were piercing her soul, searching for mysteries. He was less muscular than the blonde guy, Gary, but somehow looked like he was lean while still being incredibly strong. He said his name was Noah and nothing else. She mouthed ‘hi’ and earned a warm smile. The guy beside him was even taller with ebony skin and his hair braided into cornrows. Gemma had to stop her breath from catching at the sight of his abs and his muscular arms. He made a joke about golf championships and Gemma thought it was awful but he was gorgeous.

“Saving the best for last were you? I’m like the sweet dessert at the end of a main course of beef cake.” The final boy said. It was an awful joke but Gemma burst into laughter despite herself at the hilarity of it.

“Are you saying you’re sweeter than these other guys?” Gemma asked with a giggle. 

“Why don’t you pick me and find out?” he asked, throwing her a cheeky wink. “I’m Bobby, by the way.”

Bobby was probably around the same height as Rocco with tan skin and a mess of brown dreadlocks on the top of his head. His amber eyes were alight with mischief and he looked every bit the part of the joker. He was less muscular than the other guys but the muscle he did have was lean. There were freckles sprinkled across his face, shoulders, and chest. With a last glance at him, she sauntered back to her mark. 

“Okay boys, now that Gemma has gotten a look at you, it’s time to see who likes the look of her. Please step forward if you fancy Gemma.” Lauren said.

Gemma glanced back at the boys as Gary stepped forward confidently, followed immediately by Rocco. Ibrahim followed next and Gemma looked over at Bobby, without being able to help it. He looked like he was debating before taking a step forward. It had been a bit of a surprise to see them all step forward like that. This was definitely Gemma being spoiled for choice. She glanced at Noah and was surprised to see him regarding her with interest since it did not seem like he had stepped forward.

“Okay boys, my turn again to ask you why you’ve stepped forward,” Gemma said and turned to the first boy. “Gary?”

“I just thought you looked like a bit of a sort, so I thought I’d try,” Gary said thoughtfully. “Plus you’re well fit so that certainly helps.”

“Rocco, you stepped forward?” Gemma asked.

“Of course I did!” Rocco said enthusiastically. “I feel like you and I could have something really special.”

Gemma smiled noncommittally and moved over Noah onto the next boy, Ibrahim.

“How about you, Ibrahim?” Gemma asked and he was thoughtful for a moment.

“You look like a girl who knows what she wants and I rate that. Plus, you can’t get in without trying, right?” Ibrahim asked and gave her an intense gaze. He was gorgeous.

“And how about you, Bobby?” Gemma asked, landing her eyes on the final boy.

“Well, you look like a girl who doesn’t go over the top with her look, I rate that. Can’t have the competition when we’re standing next to each other, you know?” Bobby asked and Gemma laughed again, thinking he was kidding. He smiled. “Joking, of course. Anyway, if you pick me, you know you’ll be laughing all the way to the bedroom.”

“And in it.” Gary piped up and the other guys chuckled.

“Well, a girl is spoiled for choice here, isn’t she?” Gemma said, surveying him again. “But, the boy I’d like to couple up with is…Ibrahim!”

“Way to go, mate.” Gary said as Gemma walked to stand with Ibrahim. “You’ve taken an early lead, but it’s all still to play for.”

“Hi.” Ibrahim said, looking down at Gemma next to him. 

“Hi.” Gemma said, just now realizing how tall he was. 

“I don’t usually meet people like this, but I have to say, I’m loving it so far.” Ibrahim said, with a smile.

Lottie was the next out and she had strode out confidently. Lauren introduced her as a 24 year old make-up artist originally from Melbourne, Australia who’s lucky number was 13. She glanced down the line of boys. She did not take as much time as Gemma did, instead opting to just ask anyone who liked the look of her to step forward. Rocco stepped forward and Lottie stuck her tongue out at the rest for not stepping forward. Nevertheless, Lottie strutted over to Rocco, after hearing what his name was, and looked to Gemma. It looked like she was happy and it seemed that so far, so good. Lottie had made a comment about hoping Ibrahim had stepped forward but said she was glad he hadn’t because she wouldn’t have stolen him.

Marisol was out next, still standing confidently, but in less of a dominating way than Lottie had. After being introduced as a 24 year old law student with Amal Clooney as a style icon, she slowly walked up and down the row of boys. She stopped at Ibrahim to comment on how he was standing and to wonder what he could be hiding. At Gary, she also paused to say she would like to get to know him, before returning back to her mark. Lauren asked anyone who fancied her to step forward. Bobby took a confident step forward and Marisol surveyed him curiously before deciding to couple up with him. 

“Only two left,” Noah commented and looked over at the others. 

“No sweat, big man, I’m sure your perfect match is coming out,” Bobby said and Gemma watched him with some interest.

“I know it takes me a bit longer to make an impression,” He said quietly and blushed when he realized Gemma was looking at him. They were standing right next to each other.

Hope was next out and she stood with both hands on her hips while being introduced, just as she had when she was stepping out of the SUV. As soon as Lauren had finished introducing her as 26 years old and a sales/marketing manager for a toy company who aspired to be CEO, she strode straight over to Noah, asking his name. When he told her, she fanned herself, saying she was melting under his gaze and that she would be coupled up with him. Noah seemed to relax a little at the ease of finding himself coupled up now. Maybe someone as forward and loud as Hope would be good for someone who seemed so reserved like Noah. 

Hannah was the last out and it was clear on her face that she was overwhelmed at the sight of all the gorgeous guys and the girls standing next to them. Everything about her stance gave away that she was possibly not quite ready for this yet. Lauren introduced her as 21 years old and a social media assistant from St. Albans who was working on her first novel. It was true, Hannah did look like she had accidentally walked out of one of her romance novels. It was clear that she was too nervous to walk along the boys, so she just asked for anyone that fancied her to step forward. After a moment, nobody had stepped forward.

“Come on boys, look at her, she’s gorgeous,” Lottie said and Rocco started to take a step forward. Lottie threw her arm out in front of him. “I didn’t mean you!”

“You said…” Rocco started as Gary took a tentative step forward.

“I wasn’t sure I was your type,” Gary admitted, still uncertain.

“Babe, right now you’re like my knight in shining armor,” Hannah said.

“I’m Gary,” He offered.

“Well, then I choose to couple up with Gary!” Hannah said and skipped over to wrap her arms around him. 

Gemma watched as Hannah whispered something in his ear and he looked unsure. He caught Gemma watching and smiled at her again. Lauren told them that this would be it for now and they should take the time to start getting to know each other. Ibrahim was giving Gemma an almost smoldering look that made her glad she had chosen him. But, she looked over at Bobby and could not help but still feel a little curious. After all, this first coupling was really only on looks alone and so much more than that mattered to Gemma. And there was also usually a surprise. Love Island did not start with everyone evenly matched like this without a surprise twist. For the meantime, Gemma grabbed Ibrahim’s hand and led him over to where the day beds were. They sat facing each other.

“So, you chose me,” Ibrahim said and Gemma giggled.

“I did. Are you happy?” Gemma asked.

“Who wouldn’t like being the first boy picked by someone as gorgeous as you?” Ibrahim asked. 

“Oh, you think I’m gorgeous, huh?” Gemma asked, winking at him.

Gemma thought that Ibrahim was certainly gorgeous himself, but as they chatted, she realized that he may have mostly relied on looks up until this point. His chat was a little clumsy and all over the place. It was the first few hours, though, and Gemma could completely see it being a bit of an awkward situation. She found herself wiping her hands subtly down her thighs to rid the sweat a couple times, after all.


	3. Truth or Dare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for everyone to get a little more comfortable in a game of Truth or Dare.
> 
> Also, I hope it makes sense getting two different character perspectives here.

Noah had watched as Gemma walked off with Ibrahim before turning back to Hope. She was beautiful and confident, which Noah already admired about the girl who had chosen him. He knew that it could take him time to come out of his shell. He was so used to putting others first that sometimes he forgot about himself. That was a big reason why he had decided to apply for this show even though it was so far from his comfort zone. This was a chance to focus on him forming connections with people without the craziness of the outside world influencing him. Truthfully, he had not been expecting to get picked and certainly had not expected to be one of the first boys into the villa. But, apparently, the producers had liked the shy, brooding quality he had…their words, not his. And now, he was sitting on the roof terrace across from a gorgeous woman. She folded her long, slender legs that seemed to go on for days under herself and smiled across from him.

“So, tell me about yourself, Noah.”

Hope was surveying Noah with interest and he looked down to gather his thoughts before giving an answer.

“Erm, well you know my name, I’m 25 and I work in a library.”

“A library huh? Is that what you always wanted to do?”

It was clear to Noah that this was a confusing choice of profession. He had encountered that same look numerous times before.

“I don’t know, I guess. I’ve always loved books and would feel at home in the library as a kid, so it just kind of made sense.”

“I see.”

There was a pause in the conversation as Hope seemed unsure what to say next in the conversation.

“Erm, what do you do?”

“Oh, I work for a toy company in marketing,” Hope said, suddenly enthusiastic. Noah realized this was the right question. “It’s really great. I’ve got this whole team that I work with and I actually oversee part of the team, which is great. I’ve done all sorts of leadership workshops to really be taken seriously because I am still rather young to be in the position and then it’s so much harder to succeed as a female…”

Hope went off into a long explanation of what her day-to-day looked like and Noah found it really easy to listen to her speak. It was clear that she was passionate about what she did and that she had a lot of ambition. He knew that he could sometimes be indecisive when it came to his own personal life and so he thought it might be nice to have someone like Hope that so easily took charge. He also thought that it might not be the right time to let her know that he was actually really into toys as well and that he collected some. Instead, he focused on the way Hope’s face lit up when she spoke and how she leaned in to say something a little quieter for effect. She was happy to take the lead in the chat and it seemed that she had already picked up on him wanting her to take the lead. It seemed to be a good start to the summer as far as Noah was concerned. 

After a few more minutes, Hope had suggested that they join the rest of the Islanders. When Noah stood, he saw that most of the group had gathered together downstairs and were headed towards what looked like the beanbags. As Noah and Hope caught up with them, everyone was still standing around and idly chatting. He thought he heard the red-haired girl that looked almost as if she had walked in by accident say that it seemed like the start of a romance novel. Putting that aside, it would be nice if there was someone else in the villa that was also interested in books and reading. Although, they may not have any books in common. Noah appreciated those kinds of books, but he would not necessarily say they were his favorite. He tended to like getting lost in another world.

“Well, this all seems riveting, but I think it’s time we popped the bubbles!” Hope’s announcement was met with several appreciative smiles. “Why don’t you boys fetch us some and bring them over there to the loungers?”

“Making the men work for it, I like it,” Marisol said and smiled at Hope.

“Want to come along, Gemma?” Ibrahim asked of his partner.

“Sure,” Gemma said easily and followed the boys over to a table where several bottles of champagne sat on ice.

“Didn’t fancy a girls’ chat?” Gary asked, slowing down to fall into step beside her and Ibrahim. 

She responded with a careful shrug followed by a smile and a wink.

“I just want to get to know everyone,” Gemma said, her dimples on display as she smiled.

“I don’t blame you, to be honest, that Hannah is already winding me up. What was all that about this place being like a romance novel?” Gary asked and Gemma frowned briefly.

“I think she’s sweet, even if she may be a little naïve,” Gemma said, looking uncomfortable as she disagreed. “And she is only 21 years old, maybe she’s never been in love before.”

“To be fair, I suppose I don’t know her all that well yet and it’s only the first day,” Gary said, immediately backtracking after Gemma defended the younger girl. “I guess, I’m just more into something down to Earth and real. You know, someone who makes you tea and toast if you’re sad.”

“You’re not winning Love Island with tea and toast, mate,” Rocco said and ran a hand through his hair. “I think Hannah’s got the right idea about love. For me, love should make you write poetry when you don’t even know how.”

“So, love is like my old English teacher?” Noah asked, causing everyone to laugh suddenly.

“My man Noah with the one-liners,” Bobby said, clapping him on the back. “I think love is when you check to see if someone laughs at your jokes.”

“I don’t know if I’ve ever felt that,” Noah said quietly, frowning and noticing that Gemma was surveying him.

“It sounds like we all think love means something different anyway.” Ibrahim said and turned to Gemma. “What do you think?”

“Hmm,” Gemma paused, thinking for a moment. “I think you’re all right, in a way. Love is going to look different to everyone and it’s hard to know what it’s going to feel like until you’ve felt it. But for me, I guess you want someone that you can share your interests with. They don’t have to want to do all the same things, but they should resepct your interests. Most importantly, though, you need someone you can laugh with. Life is going to have plenty of serious or special or exciting moments, and I want to have someone I can laugh with even when we’re just sitting around the house doing absolutely nothing.”

“I like that,” Noah admitted.

Maybe he had been wrong in his initial impression of her. She looked, at first glance, like that glamorous type of girl who cared too much about her appearance. She seemed like the type of girl that could not be bothered to listen to what other people liked to do or had to say. And then he remembered, her quote had been “Don’t judge a book by its cover” and he realized he’d done just that. Maybe she could be a good friend. He was sure to need some of those in here.

“I think we need to get back to the rest of the girls, though,” Gemma said, breaking the silence.

They quickly poured out ten glasses of champagne and each of the boys, except Ibrahim, grabbed a second glass to bring over to their partners. Ibrahim and Gemma hung back, coming over as the last to rejoin the group. Hope proposed a toast to them having the best summer of their lives and everyone clinked glasses. Gary immediately made a comment about not understanding why everyone loved champagne so much. Hope looked scandalized, but Gemma actually agreed with him that she was just as likely to be down the pub grabbing a pint. That revelation seemed to surprise several Islanders because she looked like the type of girl you found at the center of the dance floor in the club, not the one who was in a dingy bar throwing back beers while playing pool. Just then, a ding broke the conversation.

“Oh, I’ve got a text!” Gary called and everyone went quiet. “Islanders, please head over to the firepit to play truth or dare! #timetogetcozy #warmingup”

“This is my game!” Hope announced and grabbed Noah’s hand to rush over.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gemma was amused to see how Hope was already starting to take charge, but she was also interested in getting to know the girl better. There seemed to be more to her than met the eye and Gemma was always curious about the people she met. On top of that, Gemma would hopefully be spending her whole summer in the villa and it would be important to know who she could trust. She settled on the bench and slid up close to Ibrahim. He smiled at her and slid his arm around her back. Their thighs were touching and it felt nice. Across the way, Gemma caught Bobby looking over at her and saw him blush slightly when they made eye contact. 

“Oh, we’ve got cards,” Rocco said, sounding disappointed.

“What were you expecting, mate?” Ibrahim asked.

“I don’t know, I thought we’d make them up,” Rocco said and shrugged.

“Babes, I’m not sure I’m ready to know what questions you’d come up with,” Lottie said and Gemma chuckled, earning an appreciative smile from the goth girl next to her.

“So, who’s going first?” Gary asked as Hope jumped up and walked to the cards.

“I choose dare!” Hope announced.

“I guess she’s going first,” Lottie whispered to Gemma, who shrugged.

“Someone had to,” Gemma responded.

“Okay, so I have to…pick someone to give a foot massage to,” Hope said and pulled her face up for a moment.

Most of the Islanders agreed that this was off to being the weirdest holiday that they had ever been on as Hope made a show of picking Noah, as if she would have picked anyone else at this point. He initially looked uncomfortable as Hope was rubbing circles down the sole of his foot. But, as she slid her fingers between his toes, he let out a sigh and admitted that it felt good. Hannah, on the other hand, looked mortified.

“I will definitely be picking truth on my turn,” Hannah said.

“Suck on someone’s toes could be in there, don’t want to miss out!” Bobby announced, causing most people to laugh while Hannah shuddered.

“Who’s going next, Hope?” Rocco asked.

“Hmm.” Hope said, casting her eyes around the group. “How about Gemma?”

“Be spontaneous, pick dare!” Rocco called.

“I don’t know, I think truth is the brave option,” Ibrahim said.

“Look at you boys, deciding for her,” Lottie said, rolling her eyes. “You pick whatever you like, babes.”

“Why not? I’ll try a truth,” Gemma said. 

“And now we’ll never know what might’ve been,” Rocco said wistfully as Hope grabbed a card. Lottie shot Rocco a look as he glanced at Gemma.

“Gemma, have you ever dated someone you knew your friend was interested in?” Hope read and several oohs came from around the circle.

“See? That’s as interesting as any dare,” Ibrahim said and Gemma sighed.

“I have,” Gemma said and hesitated. “It was when we were sixteen and I’d told her that I liked him and then like two days later, she said that she liked him as well. He ended up asking me out and I’d said no, but she told me she wanted me to go anyway.”

“And you did?” Lottie prompted, studying Gemma.

“I did and he ended up being a total knob, we gossiped about it afterwards and we’re still friends now, so no harm, I suppose,” Gemma said with a shrug and Lottie leaned back smiling. 

“Good on you,” Lottie said.

“It can be so hard, can’t it?” Marisol asked and everyone nodded. 

“Who’s next?” Ibrahim asked.

“I think you should pick one of the boys,” Hope said and then looked over at Noah. “But maybe not Noah…you know, I still think he’s getting over the shock of having his feet rubbed.”

Gemma immediately chuckled, but could tell some of the other Islanders, like Lottie, were less impressed. They clearly saw it as being possessive, which Gemma guessed it could have been. It was too early to unpack all that though.

“Hmm, how about Bobby?” Gemma asked, enjoying the way his cheeks flushed again with the attention on him. “Truth or dare?” 

“I don’t know if I’m ready to suck on anyone’s toes yet, seems an awful big commitment,” Bobby joked.

“Mate, you’re the only one on about sucking toes,” Gary said, shaking his head but also laughing.

“All the same, I think I’ll stick with Truth,” Bobby said and Hope selected the next card off the ‘Truth’ stack.

“What’s been your most embarrassing sexual experience?” Hope asked and there were several giggles.

“Sex is never embarrassing, it’s a deep, physical expression of closeness,” Rocco said and Gemma actually rolled her eyes at him while others groaned.

“Erm, this is my go, mate,” Bobby said. “And well…I’m not sure I’m all that ready to get too deep into detail, but once I thought it would be sexy to make a cake in…my image, if you catch my drift. Turns out I don’t really know what sexy is.”

Bobby turned red again and everyone around the firepit erupted into laughter. Eventually, he joined in. Gemma was torn with what comment she wanted to make about the whole situation. Eventually, the laughter died down.

“So, what I’m taking from this story,” Gemma said, leaning forward and watching as Bobby struggled to meet her eyes, “is that you…can bake.”

“Oh!” Bobby said, eyes widening as he looked up. “Yeah, erm, I actually love to bake.”

“Hmm, interesting, I like a man who knows his way around the kitchen,” Gemma said and leaned back, still glancing at him while his cheeks flushed redder. “So, who’s next?”

“How about Marisol?” Bobby offered quickly.

“I think I’ll try truth as well,” Marisol said immediately. Hope selected another card quickly.

“Have you ever kissed someone of the same sex on a night out?” Hope asked.

“Of course!” Marisol said immediately.

Gemma was intrigued to hear that. It seemed that the other girls did not immediately catch on, with Hope launching into a story about a friend of hers who kissed everyone at the bar, followed by Lottie saying one time she had gotten so drunk that she kissed a friend of hers. When the chatter died down, Marisol clarified that she actually dated men and women, which the boys all seemed rather interested in. Marisol, who seemed to be confident, said that she had far more trouble approaching women than men. While the discovery that Marisol was also into women was very interesting to the boys, several of them seemed comforted that she got tongue tied around a girl she found attractive. Marisol asked if anyone else could see trying it. Gemma said that she would try it for the right person. Truthfully, she had gone out with another girl once before and she was open to trying new things, but she doubted those new things would happen here. It was interesting to see the glances between the boys, though.

Marisol announced that Ibrahim would be going next. Despite him saying truth was the brave option, he chose Dare and had to kiss the Islander he fancied the most. He turned to Gemma, a question plain on his face. She nodded and he leaned in to give her a brief kiss. She could feel that he was tentative in his approach but it was a very nice kiss all the same. He passed the game onto Lottie, who also chose dare. Gemma was briefly caught up in the fact that a guy that looked like Ibrahim had chosen to kiss her, but tuned back in as she heard Lottie announcing she was going to suck on Noah’s earlobe. Hope did not seem pleased and stared daggers back at Lottie, who was clearly doing it to get a rise out of Hope. Well, it was going to be an interesting summer.

Lottie picked Hannah next and Gemma zoned out again as she caught Ibrahim watching her with a smile. She leaned into him and he squeezed her tighter to his side. Truthfully, he was probably one of the fittest boys she had ever seen, but she wondered if that meant he was used to girls falling at his feet. Gemma looked over to hear Hannah finishing a story about a time she had ended up in the hay in a barn and was sure she did not need to hear however that story had begun. Hannah passed the game along to Gary, who picked dare and had to dance on someone that was not his partner. He glanced around the firepit before coming to sway his hips on Gemma, causing her to laugh at the ridiculousness of his moves.

Gary passed the game onto Noah and the game continued from there. During the course of the game, Gemma had to admit that she had been single for eight months prior to coming on the show, which she said was a story for another time. She also had to take a shot off of Marisol, which Marisol did not seem to mind at all, and send a sexy selfie to the Islander she thought was the hottest. For that, she chose Ibrahim. It had seemed like a safe choice and he was honestly really attractive.

The Islanders had spread out around the villa after the game of Truth or Dare and Gemma found herself lounging on the daybeds with Ibrahim. He was really sweet when they were one on one but she had already noticed that he got a bit awkward in the bigger groups. Marisol had teased him a bit during Truth or Dare when he had said that Truth was the brave option and then chosen a Dare instead. He was willing to open up to Gemma, though, which was a good sign in her book. It did not seem like he had things to hide. He spoke about having a big family and how close they all were. Gemma could not help but be a little jealous. Her relationship with her parents had been a bit tense over the past several years, to say the least. Thankfully, her relationship with her sister was in a good place. Ibrahim was the youngest of three boys, but both his parents had siblings and so he had a lot of cousins. They would get the whole family together and have really big parties that, honestly, sounded lovely. Gemma found herself just wanting to listen to him speak. After she made a noncommittal comment about her family, she asked Ibrahim about being a professional golfer. He relaxed even further and it was clear he was in his element when he was talking about his sport. That was where his confidence came from. So, Gemma figured she would have to get interested in golf if she wanted to keep him chatting. There were worse things. 

After a bit, Noah and Hope wandered over to join Gemma and Ibrahim on the daybeds. Hope, for all her take-charge attitude, was actually easy to be around in smaller groups. Mostly, she was trying to get to know Noah, which offered Gemma the perfect chance to zone out and watch how the other people in the villa were interacting. There was a lot to be said for body language and secret glances. Gemma was quickly broken out of her observation when Hope loudly announced she got a text.

“Damn, babes, my ears.” Gemma joked, kicking her foot out at Hope.

“Read it out!” Lottie called when everyone was at the daybeds. 

“ _Islanders, it’s time to get ready for the Welcome Party and to meet our surprise guest! #droppingthebombshell #achallengerappears!_ ” Hope read out and her face dropped as she looked over at Noah.

“We’re getting a new Islander?” Hannah asked, shocked. “What if it’s a new girl?”

“It could be a new guy.” Noah glanced back at Hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Serious thank you to the positive feedback you've given me so far! I promise this is where we start to get some different looks at Islanders and start to see some different friendships forming.


	4. Dropping the Bombshell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone knew that they wouldn't get to stay evenly matched for long. But were they ready to meet their new Islander? And who exactly would she be after? It's time to see where everyone stands.

The Islanders hurried off to their dressing rooms and you could feel the frantic energy from the moment you walked in. Gemma was trying to center herself and remind herself that she had come on this show. She knew what she was getting into. While she busied herself with picking out an outfit, some of the other girls worried if the new Islander would be a girl or a boy. Privately, Gemma thought it would probably be a girl based on the use of bombshell in the hashtag. Hope initially had said it would be nice to have more girls, causing Lottie to roll her eyes and point out the new girl could be gorgeous and after Noah, which immediately changed Hope’s tune. Instead, she focused on Hannah, saying her dream man could be coming through at any minute. Honestly, Gemma liked Hannah a lot but tuned out after Hope mentioned something about horseback and mustaches and cardigans. They were on a reality TV show, right?   
  
  
Gemma was the first to finish getting ready, not being one to make a fuss about her make-up. It had been a habit that she had picked up from when she was competing. Her face would need a break after all the make-up caked on during competition season. Although, this was definitely its own competition and she made a mental note that she may have to start upping her game a bit. The girls had decided to go downstairs all together and found the boys waiting. It seemed that some of them were still a bit nervous about this whole process. Bobby noted that Rocco did not like to get stood up and Hope, once again, took charge, announcing it was time to get the party started. She dragged Noah off to get a glass of bubbly immediately.

“Have you had a chance to look around the villa?” Ibrahim asked of Gemma.

“What I’ve seen is beautiful but we’ve not even been here a day, I need to look around more,” Gemma said. 

“I’d love to check out the roof terrace. That’ll be a nice spot to get to stargaze with someone,” Rocco announced, seeming to look at Gemma. Lottie cleared her throat and scowled at him.

“Bit bold there,” Gemma said with a chuckle.

“What?” Ibrahim asked, having missed the moment.

“Just…it seemed like a bit of a line,” Gemma said and Bobby burst into laughter.

“Of course it was a line. I bet he uses that one all the time and I bet the girls love it,” Bobby said, clapping Rocco on the back.

“Anyone can benefit from learning astronomy.” Rocco mumbled. 

Gemma shook her head as Lottie pulled Rocco aside and wandered off to the table where there were some drinks. Ibrahim, Bobby, and Marisol had followed her. Gary and Hannah wandered over shortly after. It seemed that everyone was nervous and that nobody really knew what to do. Gary broke the silence by talking about Rocco’s bad lines and how nobody wanted to come with him to look at a shipyard at night. Hope walked over with Noah just as Gary was in the middle of talking about cranes and watching them move through the clouds, complete with a description of the different colored lights and what it all meant. It seemed like a really odd choice, given where they were, to be talking so enthusiastically about cranes. There was loving your job and then there was Gary, apparently. Lottie and Rocco wandered over just at the end of the story.

“Well, this is _riveting_ , really,” Hope said with an eye roll. “I thought there would be better chat, though.”

Leave it to Hope to find a way to get them onto a better topic. Gemma found herself thankful as Hope steered them towards some of their favorite and most ridiculous pick-up lines. It turned out, most of them had some good ones and Gemma was in stitches. Although she probably would not have admitted this anywhere else, she loved a good cheesy pick-up line, as long as it was said in jest rather than thinking it was a good line. Ibrahim tried to join in but completely fumbled his words and mixed-up the punch line. Gemma tried to assure him it was fine and they moved on, but Gemma could not help but wonder if her suspicions had been confirmed. Ibrahim was completely gorgeous but his chat was absolute rubbish. All the same, he seemed sweet enough and he was very easy on the eyes. Just as Hope was about to change the topic again, Hannah got a text.

“ _Islanders_ ,” She read out. “ _please head to the firepit to welcome the new addition. #timesup #girlcode._ ”

This seemed to confirm to everyone that the new Islander was definitely a girl, even though nobody wanted to say it out loud. In fact, they were almost silent as they walked over. Once everyone was seated, Gemma noticed that the cameramen had also walked out and were getting different angles. Some were trained on the Islanders at the firepit while another was facing the villa. They could hear the door open and close and knew the new Islander was close. Heels clacked on the pavers and Gemma knew she was right seconds before a tall, gorgeous woman appeared around the corner. Her long, dark brown hair flowed around her face and behind her in the light breeze as she walked. It perfectly set off her tanned skin and deep brown eyes, which were reflecting the fire in front of her. She wore a long silver dress with a slit up her thigh and a deep v, showing off a pair of surgically perfected breasts. 

“Damn.” It was a low whisper from one of the boys.

“I know,” Ibrahim said, causing Gemma to turn to look at him. By the firelight, he blushed as Bobby jumped up.

“Lads, I guess we’re the welcoming committee!”

Bobby said and rushed off to meet the new girl, with the other guys quick to follow behind. It was also interesting to see his enthusiasm. Was he already not feeling it with Marisol or was he just someone who wanted everyone to feel at home?

“Ugh, she’s gorgeous,” Hope said.

“I mean, I wouldn’t kick her out of bed,” Marisol said and Gemma giggled.

“Right?” Gemma said.

“Look at them, though, it’s like they haven’t met five gorgeous women already today,” Lottie said. She was scowling with her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

“If we don’t like it, then we’d better do something about it,” Gemma said reasonably.

“What sort of thing?” Lottie asked.

“We should go talk to her, introduce ourselves,” Hope said. “It’s rude standing over here like this.”

“We’re not rude!” Lottie said, clearly offended. “If you ask me, it’s her that’s rude for going straight to the boys.”

“Come on,” Hope said.

“I’ll be over in a minute.” Lottie said.

“I’ll stay with Lottie,” Hannah said and Lottie smiled approvingly.

“Don’t wait too long, babes,” Gemma said and squeezed Lottie’s arm before following Hope and Marisol to meet the new girl.

The boys had formed a tight circle around her, but broke apart slightly as the girls approached. Hope immediately went in, kissing the new girl on each cheek and learning her name was Priya. Marisol did the same and then the girl turned to Gemma.

“It’s lovely to meet you. You’re stunning, we were just saying,” Gemma said and kissed Priya on each cheek as well. “I’m Gemma, by the way.”

“You’re too sweet. I was honestly worried I’d fade into the background here. I know I am a bit older,” Priya admitted with a blush.

“I wouldn’t have noticed.” Ibrahim chimed up right away. 

It was just because she was new, Gemma reminded herself. And it was not like she was entirely set on him yet, anyway. They had met earlier that same day and this show was designed for people to meet their right match. There was no sense in feeling any kind of way about it. Priya talked about her type and how she liked cheeky, flirty guys, which sounded more like Bobby than Ibrahim. Then she followed it up by saying those two boys were who she had noticed straight away. Eventually, Lottie and Hannah came over, making excuses and Lottie managed a snide comment before the peace was restored. She was definitely going to be a handful this summer. 

Priya’s arrival had made it clear that there were conversations that needed to happen, but she also needed a chance to get to know the boys. Hope had gone off to get her a glass of bubbly and Priya asked Gemma if it was okay to speak to Ibrahim. Gemma put on a smile and nodded as warmly as she could.

When Hope returned with a glass for Priya, she accepted it and went to ask Ibrahim if they could have a chat. Ibrahim glanced in Gemma’s direction, so she smiled again and nodded. The two of them walked off together and Gemma clenched her jaw involuntarily for a moment. Hope grabbed Gemma’s arm lightly and pulled her off in the other direction.

“What a first day,” Hope commented.

“Right?” Gemma agreed and let out a short chuckle.

“How are you feeling about Priya speaking with Ibrahim?”

“It’s early days, innit? I can’t exactly stake a claim on the guy.”

“I mean, you can do whatever you’d like, really.”

Gemma surveyed Hope for a second, wondering what it was that made her seem like she was ready to cling onto the first guy in her crosshairs.

“That’s not the name of the game, though,” Gemma said and Hope sighed.

“You’re right, I know you’re right.”

“How are you feeling about Noah?”

“Oh, he’s so sexy, isn’t he? And I like that he’s quiet, I know I can be a bit loud so maybe it’ll balance me a bit.”

“He is attractive.”

Hope shot a look over at Gemma but her gaze softened when she saw Gemma was smiling. She just shook her head and chuckled.

“Come on, I’ve got eyes, Hope. And I like you. I’m not sure what it is, but I think we’d be good friends,” Gemma said and Hope smiled.

“I like you too and I know you’ve got eyes. All these boys are just so…”

“I know.”

“You got to see all the girls go through the selection process. Did we all do it the same?” Hope asked.

Gemma looked away to think for a second. Did she want to admit that she had been the only person to have so many guys step forward? She had been the very first girl and the guys probably had not wanted to step forward after they were paired up. It was a tough question to answer.

“Everyone seemed to have a different approach,” Gemma answered finally.

“What do you mean?” Hope was pressing.

“Well, like you came out and walked straight to Noah, you just knew. Marisol came out and surveyed the guys, declaring she was interested in what Ibrahim could be hiding behind his eyes and something about Gary,” Gemma said trying to be dismissive.

“I guess that makes sense. We do all seem to be looking for something slightly different.”

Gemma felt like she had successfully navigated that conversation. She was not sure that she wanted to get into all that on the first night when tensions were already higher with the new girl in the mix. There was no way of knowing how it would all play out but Gemma was worried it meant that the first Islander to exit the villa would be female.

It turned out to be comfortable to sit and chat with Hope. While she definitely took charge in a group setting, she was more relaxed one on one like this. It was easier to get to know who she was and where she was coming from. It was also easy to see she was definitely someone you would be able to trust. Whatever ended up happening with the drama already brewing, at least Gemma might have one person to count on.

Ibrahim appeared at Gemma’s side and asked if he could speak to her. Hope gave a knowing wink as she stood, saying she needed to go find Noah. Gemma found that she was glad that Ibrahim had come back over to her like this. She did genuinely want to get to know him.

“Priya is stunning,” Gemma said conversationally.

“So are you,” Ibrahim said and Gemma smiled.

“That was surprisingly smooth.” Ibrahim blushed at that.

“I know, I’m rubbish at chat up lines and it’s a running joke in my family. Everyone in my family is good at them but me.”

“There are worse things to be bad at.”

“Erm, I’m glad you’ve pulled me for a chat, because I wanted to ask something.” Ibrahim looked nervously at Gemma.

“Oh?”

“I wanted to know…are you okay with sharing the bed tonight? I know it’s all really fast.” Ibrahim started to ramble and Gemma placed a hand on his arm.

“Yeah, babes, I’m definitely good with sharing the bed.” Ibrahim sighed happily.

“I was worried about that.”

“No need to be, I’m happy we’re coupled up.” Gemma sincerely meant that.

Ibrahim smiled at her and Gemma realized how close they were sitting. There would definitely not be any privacy once they got to the bedroom later that night. He was studying her face, seemingly a little more confident than moments prior. Without thinking about it, she reached a hand out and stroked his cheek. He caught her hand and held it there, locking eyes with her. He leaned in and Gemma met him part way, their lips meeting in a much different way than during the game. He slid an arm around Gemma’s back and pulled her closer to him while she ran a hand up his other arm. It was impossible how firm his muscles were. Before seemingly any time at all, they were pulling away and grinning at each other. They had kissed outside of a stupid game on the first night. Maybe he wasn’t such a bad guy to be coupled with after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bare with me, the chapters will get a little longer and it won't take so many chapters to get through the first day. Also huge thanks to the people who have supported me so far, you're the best!


	5. Two Truths and a Lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for the Islanders to get to know each other a little better over a game of Two Truths and a Lie. And it's time for Priya to no longer be the resident single girl. Who's going to take her place?

The next morning, Gemma woke up and it took a moment for her to remember where she was. She looked up at the ceiling and then caught sight of one of the neon signs and it hit her. The Villa. Love Island. She stretched out and realized she was in the bed alone, but smiled as she thought of her kiss with Ibrahim from the night before. It had been a little hard to fall asleep with ten other people in the room aside from herself. Peeking her head around the room, Gemma noticed that all the other beds were empty, apart from one. Two people were under the covers and giggling away, blissfully unaware of anyone else being awake. When Gemma heard Hope’s voice, she quietly slipped out of the bed and tiptoed out of the room, praying she would not be noticed. 

Gemma could already tell that the showers would be in high demand here and so she took advantage of the shower being empty for the moment. After going through her quick morning routine, she selected a one-piece bathing suit that had diagonal slots running across the front of it and headed in search of breakfast. She was not in the mood to deal with her hair. It would dry quick enough in the heat of the day. It seemed the other Islanders were all spread out around the villa as Gemma was eating, but several boys were sitting with Priya. Bobby was alone in the kitchen, seemingly cooking up his own breakfast. 

“Whatcha making?” Gemma asked, sliding onto a stool to sit across the counter from him. 

“French toast, want some? I have plenty for extras,” Bobby said and Gemma suddenly smiled wide.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, why?”

“French toast is my absolute favorite.”

Gemma lit up like a kid at Christmas. People had made fun of her in the past for it being her favorite breakfast or for being so particular about it. There was just something about it that made her feel little again.

“You’ve got to make sure the bread doesn’t get soggy though.”

“I have faith in you. If you can bake a cake in your…what word did you use? Image? If you can do that, I reckon you can handle something like French toast.”

Gemma watched the blush creep up Bobby’s cheeks. Even though Gemma had never been an over the top girl, she could be incredibly flirty at times. There was something satisfying about making a guy blush and Bobby was an easy target.

“And this is why I hate that game.”

“Will Marisol mind you sharing with me?”

She had meant that as an innocent question, yet the blush rose in his cheeks. Damn, it really was adorable how easily flustered he got.

“Nah, she doesn’t like French toast anyway.”

“What? The audacity!” Gemma’s hand shot to her chest, causing Bobby to let out a loud laugh.

“Finally, a woman of taste.”

It was incredibly peaceful to watch Bobby in the kitchen. Where he had appeared a bit awkward on his feet before, he was completely at home here. Gemma considered herself to be a good cook, but watching Bobby was entirely different. The boy who was usually jiggling his leg unable to stay still even when sitting was patient enough to wait to flip the toast until it had gone perfectly golden brown on the underside. Gemma, on the other hand, usually had to flip it several times because she just could not wait for it to finish on one side before flipping.

Before long, Bobby was placing a plate in front of Gemma and pushing some syrup along to her. He said he had slowly warmed it up because cold syrup was a sin as was warming it in the microwave. Gemma hungrily bit into the first forkful and sighed. It was undoubtedly the best French toast she had ever had, and she had had a lot. Bobby finished his own portion and put the dishes into the sink, coming around to sit next to Gemma. It was really easy to be around him and with a new girl in the mix, that was all Gemma had wanted from the morning. Gemma cleaned up after breakfast and Bobby headed over to join the group with Priya.

Without a second thought, Gemma wandered over to where the group was sitting to join Bobby, Priya, and the others. Ibrahim smiled at her and then patted the lounger next to him. Gemma placed herself down next to him and leaned back into him. Priya was already sat there with Gary, and Rocco as well. Lottie was sitting nearby with her feet dangling in the pool, clearly listening.

“I’ve just been quizzing the boys,” Priya announced to fill Gemma in.

“There’s going to be a test?” Ibrahim asked, worried. 

“Figure of speech, mate,” Gary answered. 

“Want to play my good cop?” Priya asked Gemma.

“Hmm, are we going to be sexy cops?” Gemma joked back. 

“If you’re involved then it’ll definitely be sexy,” Priya said with a wink.

She did not miss a beat. Gemma had never been an awkward girl, but she had also never been this confident when she was not dancing. Dancing in front of people was easy. She could never see their faces with the lights and the focus on her partner. Something about this experience was already bringing out the confidence in every day chat.

“You do make it sound sexy, Priya,” Lottie said and wandered over.

“Come on, Lottie, it’s just a bit of fun.” Gemma said and Lottie rolled her eyes with a sigh.

“Fine,” Lottie said and threw up her arms in surrender

“So here’s the real question.” Gemma said, standing up and hoping to break the tension. “What do you boys think of my swimsuit?”

Gemma did a turn in place and struck several different poses before stopping to smile at them.

“Shameless!” Priya announced but was laughing. Even Lottie looked amused.

“Looking good, Gemma,” Gary said. 

“It’s the style,” Rocco said.

“I think it’s the color,” Ibrahim said.

“Boys, really?” Bobby asked, looking around. “It’s absolutely the person wearing it.”

“I want to be mad at you, but that was incredible,” Lottie said, laughing.

With the tension officially broken, Priya carried on with her questioning to try and get the lay of the land. Rocco flirted with her right in front of Lottie, which he should have known better than to do in front of her. Ibrahim followed up spectacularly by saying Rahim was what his friends called him but he would wish to be more than friends with a beautiful girl like Priya. Gemma wanted to be mad, but the whole chat had been so awkward that she just ended up laughing with the rest. Priya moved swiftly on to get an idea of what was going on with Hope and Noah, only to be told straight away those two were already going for the power couple vibes. Gemma decided to stay out of it. She was already growing to like Hope and if the two of them were happy, it was enough for her. From there, Priya moved on to asking Gemma about her and Ibrahim. Weirdly, Gemma would’ve preferred to go back to Ibrahim fumbling over his words. She did not want to say too much and that seemed to answer the question as well as anything. 

The conversation started to die down and Gemma wandered off to get more water. Hannah was in the kitchen and Lottie had followed just behind. The two girls ran off to have some secret chat that Gemma assumed was about Priya. She would never understand why girls always had to be so chatty about each other like that. It just seemed unnecessary given how long some of them might be spending in the villa together that summer. Ibrahim caught Gemma’s eye and she went over to sit with him on the daybeds.

“Hey I was hoping to have a word with you,” Ibrahim said and Gemma raised an eyebrow. 

“Oh?” Gemma asked.

“About that little thing you did…well, I…I didn’t like all the eyes on you like that,” Ibrahim said and Gemma chuckled but Ibrahim was serious and frowning now at Gemma’s laughter.

“Oh, I’m sorry, were you serious?” Gemma asked and Ibrahim frowned again. “Babe, the new girl has said she fancies you. It was just a bit of fun to lighten the mood and that.”

“Still,” Ibrahim pressed and Gemma sighed. 

“I chose to couple with you, I’d hope that would be enough.”.

Ibrahim seemed to think better of pressing the conversation further and Gemma was thankful. This was absolutely the last conversation she wanted to be having with someone that looked like Ibrahim. She also hated the slight double standard to it. Why was it okay for Ibrahim to flirt, even if badly, with Priya but not for Gemma to call attention to her swimsuit? After a bit, Hope and Noah wandered out from the villa and joined Gemma and Ibrahim after having a quick breakfast. With the addition of the other two Islanders, Gemma felt that the conversation flowed much more easily. She was not worried now about him bringing up anything further. It did make her think about being in this couple, though. A little jealousy was okay and sometimes even felt kind of nice. A lot of jealousy was always going to be a deal breaker. Was this really the right person to be coupled with? Was it crazy to be having doubts so soon into the experience?

The Islanders had received another text and were gathered over at the firepit again. This time, they were to be playing Two Truths and a Lie, which was easy enough to understand. You had to list 3 facts about yourself, one of which was not true, and the others had to guess which was incorrect. Some of the Islanders thought it would be easy, while others were less sure. Gemma prided herself on being good at reading people, although she did not go on about it the same way Marisol did, so she was looking forward to what people would say about themselves. After all, it was more interesting to see what facts people chose to reveal and what they chose as a lie than to figure out which one the lie was.

Hope started, announcing she had been kicked out of a water park once, that she sang in a choir, and that she cooked a brilliant roast. Gemma watched uncomfortably as Noah tried to convince everyone that Hope was too much of a lady to be kicked out of a water park after Marisol said that often career driven women like Hope did not have time for cooking, which Gemma immediately agreed with. While Gemma knew that Noah was trying to be kind, she also knew he had struck a nerve in his phrasing. As she announced that Marisol and Gemma had been right about her not cooking, she started in on Noah. Thankfully, a text let Noah know he was next. He said he collected figurines, that he had a pet snake called Frank, and that monster munch was his favorite snack. Hope seemed surprised about the figurine collection, given that he had not mentioned it and she worked for a toy company. They ended up asking Gemma her opinion again and after debating, she disagreed with Bobby and said Noah did not have a snake.

The game continued and they learned some interesting facts about each other. As it turned out, Marisol had been to prison during law school and she also knew how to salsa, even though she felt it was stereotypical for a Spanish girl. _Right_ , Gemma thought _, you think it’s stereotypical and you don’t usually tell people, so you announced it on a reality TV show._ _Salsa dancing didn’t even originate in Spain._ They learned that Bobby had been in a punk band when he was younger and once had ridden a mechanical bull for over three minutes. They also learned that Priya had once modeled, which Gemma did not find surprising given her looks, and that she had once come in second place in a spelling bee. So far, Gemma had gotten all the guesses right. Marisol might like to analyze people, but Gemma was good at watching for cues in body language. A text let Gemma know that it was her turn. 

“Okay, my go!” Gemma announced and thought for a moment. “I’ve travelled to every continent except for Antarctica. I’m afraid of birthday candles, so I never have them on my birthday cake. And I’ve got six tattoos.”

“Six tattoos? You’ve been in bathing suits, I think we’d have seen those,” Rocco said, surveying her. “You’ve just got that one on your ankle.”

“And one there,” Marisol said, indicating under Gemma’s left boob.

“Been checking me out, have you?” Gemma asked, eyebrow quirked.

“I noticed when you were adjusting your suit,” Marisol said, unfazed as she winked.

“That’s only two,” Gary said.

“Could she really be afraid of candles?” Hannah questioned.

“It could mean she’s got a fear of being in the spotlight,” Marisol offered.

“I quite like that response,” Ibrahim said, leaning forward.

“Come on, it’s gotta be that she’s been to every continent apart from Antarctica, that’s a lot of travelling,” Bobby said.

“Maybe she just hasn’t told us her travelling stories yet with this one here always off on one,” Lottie said and playfully elbowed Rocco.

“I could see her travelling and having some secret tattoos,” Priya said and Gemma smiled mysteriously. “What do you think, Ibrahim?”

“I was going to ask you,” Ibrahim confessed.

“But you’re in a couple with her!” Priya said and Gemma actually laughed. The whole situation was rather ridiculous.

“I’m rubbish at these,” Ibrahim said and looked to Priya for help.

“I’m going to say it’s the candles,” Priya said and Gemma smirked.

“She’s right,” Gemma said.

“Yes!” Priya shouted and high-fived Ibrahim with both hands.

“Truth is, I do have six tattoos and you’ll probably see them sooner rather than later, but for now, I’ll show you this one you probably haven’t seen yet.” Gemma said and threw up her left middle finger, causing Hannah’s eyes to go wide. “I’m not flipping you lot off.”

“What does it say?” Ibrahim asked, looking at the words that were clearly foreign to him.

“Erm, _yo lo valgo_ ,” Gemma recited in Spanish.

“Interesting,” Marisol said, watching Gemma.

“What does it mean?” Ibrahim asked, looking between the two women. Gemma turned to him and smirked.

“Ah, that will come in time,” Gemma said and winked. 

The game continued so that they could appropriately embarrass each of the Islanders in turn. Ibrahim had, unsurprisingly, been to dozens of comic conventions and once took a date to the golf course, thinking it was romantic. Gemma spaced out completely during Rocco but was still able to guess he was lying about being asked to join a royal guard by some unnamed Prince as their spiritual leader. Honestly, the guy had his own relationship with truthfulness. Lottie, it turned out, had moved to the UK about four years earlier, chasing her dreams as a makeup artist and had once replaced a guy’s shampoo causing him to go bald after he cheated on Lottie’s friend. Gary had been partly raised by his Nan, which surprised exactly nobody, and had never even considered university. And finally, Hannah had started writing no less than 10 different books, but had yet to finish one, and believed in love at first sight. 

A text chimed out as soon as the game ended letting the Islanders know that Priya would be making her decision in one hour and she was to get ready. The other girls looked at each other nervously as Priya jumped to her feet and gracefully headed off to the villa. It seemed that the rest of the Islanders were unsure of what to do now. There was already a little bit of tension between some of the couples following the game. Noah and Hope seemed unsure what to say after going first and both getting each other’s answers wrong. Gary and Hannah looked at each other, silently realizing that they did not have much to say. With a sigh, Gary got up and Ibrahim, after giving Gemma a smile, followed him over the gym area.

“You were good at that.” Marisol commented and Gemma shrugged. 

“I just pay attention, I suppose,” Gemma said. “I’m going to go dip my legs in the pool, cool off a bit. Anyone want to join?” 

“Yes,” Hannah said, relieved at the chance. 

“I’ll come too,” Lottie said, also standing. 

Gemma did not wait for anyone else, figuring that Hope would not come. It seemed like her and Lottie were already not quite seeing eye to eye. Even though Gemma wanted to see everyone get along, she knew that it would not necessarily be possible in a place like this. She, Lottie, and Hannah settled on the edge of the pool. Rocco, Bobby, and Marisol had wandered into the kitchen. Hope and Noah had retreated to the daybeds and were having some sort of serious looking discussion. After another minute, though, Hope laughed, and it seemed that things were not that tense, at least.

“I hate this,” Hannah admitted, kicking her feet in the water.

“Are you worried about her picking Gary?” Lottie asked.

“I don’t know,” Hannah admitted. “I know him and I aren’t really right for each other, but I’m also, like, trying to see it through.”

“I honestly can’t see her choosing Gary,” Gemma said and Hannah looked surprised but hopeful. “She’s been pretty upfront about fancying Ibrahim and Bobby. And even if she wasn’t upfront, I haven’t seen her look at Gary…or Rocco.”

“I suppose we’re safe for now then, Han,” Lottie said and turned to Gemma. “Are you worried?”

“I’m not sure.” Gemma admitted. “I’ve seen her take a few people aside for chats. I’m not sure she’s even really made up her mind yet.”

“She’s been looking at Noah a bit too, hasn’t she?” Lottie asked and Gemma chuckled.

“Noah, really?” Hannah asked. 

“She asked about him this morning when she was sussing out the boys,” Lottie said and shrugged, examining a fingernail.

“I’ve seen her glancing at him more than once or twice,” Gemma said. “I can’t see her picking him though.”

“Why? She clearly wants to stir things up,” Lottie said with a huff of exasperation.

“I’m not sure that’s fair,” Hannah said.

“Lottie, it’s _not_ fair. She applied to be on the show, same as us, she couldn’t control being the bombshell like she was,” Gemma said. 

“Oh please,” Lottie said with an eyeroll.

“It’s the game. We know how this works,” Gemma said with a shrug.

Lottie grunted again, but was clearly giving it a rest for the time being. Gemma laid back against the ground and somewhat listened as Hannah and Lottie continued to chat about nothing in particular. Hannah was a sweet girl and Gemma could not help but wonder if she was really meant for a competition like this one. She had beautiful ideas about love and romance that really did not seem to line up with a reality TV show. Lottie, on the other hand, almost seemed the polar opposite. She was cynical and preached girl code, seeming to be preparing for anyone and everyone to let her down. It made Gemma wonder what people had put her through to make her this way. Unlike others, Gemma knew it was more likely that Lottie was a good person hidden under a lot of walls, much like herself, rather than her being a bad person. They just had different approaches. Gemma had walls that did not come down easily, but she remained as breezy as possible. She kept things surface level and hoped people would not realize she did so.

The afternoon sun combined with the cool water on Gemma’s legs was incredibly relaxing. She even felt that she could fall into a nap in this position. But, all too soon, a text chimed out announcing that they all had to go to the firepit to wait for Priya to exit the villa and make her decision. When Gemma opened her eyes and looked around, she saw that there were a few camera people around, waiting to get the angles for the scene to come. Undoubtedly, they were expecting to get some kind of drama out of the whole process. Priya was tasked with stealing someone else’s partner and it seemed like the perfect recipe. The Islanders had started to walk over and Gemma sighed. She got up and placed herself next to Ibrahim, who had already sat down. He gave her a nervous smile and she smiled back, taking his hand in her own.

“I don’t want her to pick me, but if she does, we’ll find our way back, I don’t have to share a bed with her tonight,” Ibrahim said and Gemma frowned.

“Do you think she’s going to pick you?” Gemma asked, but they were interrupted.

The sound of clacking heels announced Priya’s arrival and Gemma slowly turned to see the older woman. Her hair hung in loose waves around her face and the sun caught pieces of it, bringing out a rich red tone. She wore impossibly high heels with a skin tight, maroon dress that barely made it to her mid-thigh. Her hips swayed seductively as she walked, but her eyes betrayed a hint of her nerves. When she reached the firepit, she stopped in front of the others and took a breath. 

“I never thought I’d be in this position,” Priya said, looking down at her feet for a moment.

“What? Standing, making a speech?” Bobby asked and Gemma elbowed him hard in the side on her other side.

“Hush, this is hard enough,” Gemma said as Bobby rubbed his ribs and Priya looked up at her appreciatively.

“This has been so hard. I came in, thinking it would be easy, but you’ve all been so lovely that I hate to put someone in danger. Gemma, you’ve been especially wonderful and I really appreciate everything you’ve done so far.” Priya said and almost looked as if she were going to tear up. “That’s why…I’m so sorry…but the boy I’d like to couple up with is…Ibrahim.”


	6. Single Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gemma finds herself single again as the bombshell, Priya, decided to couple with Ibrahim. Will Gemma be able to move past it and forge a new relationship? Even though she is single now, Gemma finds her friendship with one of the other girls growing stronger. Can she find friendship as well as love on Love Island?

Gemma was sitting there, thunderstruck at what had just happened. Had Priya really just said Ibrahim’s name without so much as a warning? She glanced around the firepit and found everyone’s eyes were on her, including Ibrahim. Priya stood, waiting, seeming like she was trying to convey something. Gemma swallowed hard as she turned to Ibrahim, knowing she had to say something. 

“I totally get it, it’s fine. You two will look lovely together,” Gemma said, forcing what she thought was a convincing smile. 

“This will take some getting used to,” Ibrahim admitted as he stood to approach Priya, looking wistfully back at Gemma. Gemma’s phone beeped.

_Gemma, Priya has just stolen your partner, leaving you single and vulnerable. Anyone single after the first recoupling will be dropped from the villa. #getgrafting_

Gemma read the text out, causing another silence to fall around the firepit as concerned glances shot in Gemma’s direction.

“I could use something to drink,” Lottie announced, causing Hannah to stand up. 

“Actually, Priya, could I have a word, just us?” Gemma asked, far more calmly than she felt.

“Of course, babes,” Priya said.

The rest of the Islanders slowly started to get up and wander off, with some looking back at Gemma. Finally, Marisol had managed to grab Bobby and direct him away leaving the two girls alone at the firepit. There was something on his face seeming like he did not want to leave them alone. Priya came to sit down by where Gemma was sitting and looked down at her hands in her lap.

“I’m sorry.” Priya said softly.

“I asked you for one thing, Priya.” Gemma said, just as softly. There was no anger in her voice and that made Priya look up. “I just asked you to let me know if you were definitely going to pick him.”

“I know you did,” Priya admitted and honestly looked like she felt awful. “And I wanted to. I had only just made my mind up when the text came that I had to head to the firepit.”

“Come on, Priya.”

“I promise you, Gemma, I really had not made my mind up.”

Priya said and sighed and it was hard for Gemma to know what she was feeling. She was upset at not having the head’s up. She also could see Priya was struggling. Priya continued.

“I’ve messed everything up, I can feel it. And everyone likes you, so now it’ll be even worse. I just…I thought this might be the best choice for me.”

“Look, I’m not mad. I’d like to be mad, but I’m not really. It’s early days and it’s not like any of us has claim to anyone really.”

“For what it’s worth, I don’t think you’re going anywhere anytime soon. And if you end up back with Ibrahim, well, I can’t say I’d hold it against you.”

Gemma chuckled. There was something awkward about this incredibly glamorous girl and Gemma felt an affinity for that.

“I still wish you’d let me know.”

“I know, I really intended to but I didn’t get an answer I was looking for until just before it all happened. Well, I suppose I did, but I needed to check one final time to be sure,” Priya admitted and Gemma was confused. “Now the other girls will hate me.”

“You were true to yourself which is what we’re all supposed to do here, I can’t fault you for that.”

Gemma was not sure why she was trying to comfort the girl who’d just stolen her partner and left her vulnerable. But, she knew she was not going to be the reason the rest of the villa was mean to Priya.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, I know,” Gemma said. “I just need a minute to clear my head.”

Gemma had kept everything together while Priya had given her speech and subsequently picked Ibrahim as the boy she wanted to couple up with, leaving Gemma single. She was proud of how she had held it together as she spoke to Priya. The text had said that this left Gemma vulnerable. She knew eventually there would be another recoupling and that anyone single would likely be dumped after that, which did not make Gemma feel any better. Maybe this whole thing had been a bad idea after all. Even though she was trying not to hold anything against Priya, it was still hard not to feel like she was not enough. It was hard to remember that she had applied for this show as a chance to put some bad dating history behind her. She sighed and leaned her head back against the wall behind her. She had waited until she reached the roof terrace to really let herself feel something.

She had her eyes closed as she leaned her head back and sniffed away, trying to prevent any tears from falling. When she heard the door to the roof terrace open, she quickly shot her hand to her eyes, wiping away any tears and plastering her smile on before she looked to see who it was. It was Hope and she was looking at Gemma sympathetically. The smile faltered as Hope turned to close the door and silently crossed to sit beside Gemma. Without a word, she pulled Gemma into a hug.

“How are you really, babes?” Hope asked softly.

“I can’t say I’m surprised really, can I?” Gemma asked and sighed.

“She was pretty open about being interested in him. But you can still feel however you’d like to feel.”

“I wish she had spoken to me about it.”

“She didn’t let you know?” Hope was puzzled.

“No, apart from saying in front of the group that she was interested in him, she never spoke to me directly.”

“I can see why you’d be hurt by that.”

“And I asked her privately to speak to me if she was going to pick him.”

Gemma could tell that this was the piece of news that surprised Hope. It had been last night before bed and the two girls had been in the bathroom. Priya looked like she wanted to say something and Gemma had asked for a head’s up if Priya decided to pick Ibrahim. It had been a short chat, but Gemma had trusted Priya would let her know.

“Is that what you spoke to her about just now?”

“She said she really hadn’t made up her mind yet.”

“Do you believe her?”

“I think so?” Gemma said. “She seemed sincere.”

“I’m sorry this happened.”

“They _do_ look great together, I meant that. It’s like a damn magazine cover.” Gemma said and laughed without any actual humor. She could not talk about being upset anymore.

“And it wasn’t that way with you?” Hope challenged before chuckling and shaking her head. “I’ve never met such a beautiful girl who didn’t realize how beautiful she was.”

“Well, thank you.”

“I can imagine, really, even though she hadn’t said Noah’s name, I thought that she might pick him anyway.”

“I don’t think she’d ever have chosen Noah, even if she wanted to, because she seemed too afraid of how you’d handle it.”

“Huh,” Hope said.

“Actually, I really thought she might’ve picked Bobby.”

“Oh, now that’s nonsense.”

Hope scoffed and it surprised Gemma. People did not really seem to see Bobby past him being the jokester.

“What? He’s attractive and funny. Priya seems a bit goofy, it’s natural to wonder,” Gemma said and Hope looked genuinely surprised. 

“Babes, you don’t know?” Hope asked.

“What?”

“Well…I overheard her speaking to Bobby.” Hope said slowly. “They didn’t know I could hear them. They were down on that bench and I was up here doing some stretches.”

“And?” Gemma asked, confused. 

“She was trying to…feel him out, I suppose. She was asking if he would be interested in coupling up, if it went that way.” Hope said and Gemma found she was more curious than she should be. “He got a little uncomfortable and he said that she should try to find someone else that she really connected with, that he was interested in someone else.”

“He’s interested in Marisol? I didn’t get that feeling from him,” Gemma asked, unable to hide her surprise. Hope narrowed her eyes and then chuckled.

“Babes, I can’t even believe you. No, he’s not interested in Marisol. He’s interested in _you._ ”

“Me?” Gemma asked, surprised.

“Yes, you. And who can blame him? You’re so easy to be around. I’ve never gotten along with another girl so quickly. You can see the way he looks at you.”

Gemma went quiet for a moment, looking down at her hands in her lap so that she could avoid Hope’s gaze. The truth was, she was drawn to Bobby, but also terrified of what that could look like as it played out. There was also undeniably something between the two of them. When he had first pulled her aside to chat just between the two of them, she had instantly felt drawn to him. It wasn’t really a surprise, she had felt it when she first looked at him and it was why she had not chosen him. He was gorgeous, funny, kind, and seemingly caring. And while that probably would have made him perfect to anyone else, it forced Gemma’s walls up. He reminded her of her ex-fiancée, of the man who had totally and completely broken her heart and her trust. He had been just like Bobby in the beginning. He was funny and always had her in stitches. He made everyone around them happier too. That was part of why Gemma had stayed for as long as she had. She would see the little signs of him returning to who he had been when they had met. 

“I asked Marisol what your tattoo meant, the one of your middle finger,” Hope said and Gemma looked up at her.

“What did she say?”

“She said she thought it meant ‘I’m worth it’.”

“She was right.”

That was the great thing about Hope, as loud and in control she was with the others, she was caring and thoughtful with Gemma. There was just no pressure and it was why she was sure that the two of them would be friends.

“It’s a reminder, a constant reminder, of where I’ve been and where I’m going.”

Gemma knew it was an evasive answer and that as much as Hope was cool with Gemma moving at her own pace, her curiosity was piqued now.

“But why on your middle finger?” Hope asked.

“It’s on the outside of my finger, you see? Next to my ring finger.” Gemma said, holding out her finger for Hope to see. “It’s a reminder that eventually I’ll find the right guy and the next time I get engaged, it’ll be to someone who never makes me question if I’m worth it because I’ll know. I’ll know I’m worth it.”

“You were engaged before.” Hope said. It was not a question. “The relationship that ended eight months ago?”

“Yeah.”

Hope leaned over to squeeze Gemma’s hand. There was more in that gesture than Gemma would have expected.

“When you’re ready to talk about it, I’m here.”

The girls were getting ready for the night and Priya had already left. After all, she had been asked to get ready before making her decision about who to couple up with. She had quickly touched up her make-up and left the dressing room that had been unusually quiet. It seemed that nobody knew exactly what to say with her around right now. Gemma was standing in front of the mirror holding two different dresses up to herself. One was a knee length red dress that dipped low and clung to every curve. She looked every part the Salsa dancer when she wore it. The other was a long one-shouldered white dress with a slight high up her thigh. The one shoulder flowed into a lace sleeve. 

“The red, babes,” Hope said, stepping around her friend with a smile. She turned around again. “With those strappy heels I saw that’ll wrap up your leg.”

Gemma was glad to have the decision made for her that way and she walked over to her dresser to grab a bra and pants that would work with the outfit. She got behind the screen and changed into her dress for the evening before heading back over to sit at one of the mirrors. She quickly reattached her microphone before getting to work on some make-up.

“Talk about a plot twist, I was so sure she was going to pick Gary,” Hannah said, breaking the silence.

“She never seemed interested in Gary,” Marisol disagreed.

“As far as I’m concerned, she shouldn’t have picked anyone.” Lottie said with a scoff. 

“That’s not how it works, Lottie, and you know it. She had to pick someone,” Hope said, stepping out in her outfit for the night, a pair of ripped white skinny jeans and a tight fitting green bodysuit. “It is a shame it had to happen to someone as sweet as Gemma. I’d hate to imagine the rest of this summer without her.”

“Yeah, we’re all sunshine and rainbows when nobody is picking Noah, right?” Lottie fired back and Hope rolled her eyes. 

“Girls, surely what matters here is how Gemma feels, right? She’s like the protagonist in this whole situation,” Hannah said and suddenly there were four pairs of eyes on Gemma.

“Well,” Gemma said and sighed heavily. “Honestly, I feel a bit bad for her. Now everyone is going to be on her case. And her and I have spoken about what needed to be said. I don’t have hard feelings. We all signed up for this.”

“I’m proud of you for being so mature, babes,” Hope said warmly. 

“I mean, we all signed up for this, like Gemma said, we know they usually bring a new person in shortly after everyone is coupled,” Marisol said evenly.

Gemma tuned back out again as Marisol told the other girls some bullshit psychology about how you had to be true to yourself, even at the expense of others. She was not doing a very good job at explaining it and Lottie was, of course, quick to call her out. The bickering that was already becoming normal ensued and Gemma focused on applying a light amount of makeup. Even though she was the single one now, she still did not want to go over the top with her look. Instead, she used a little bit of eye makeup to make her eyes pop and picked out some color for her lip. She had left the foundation out since the time in the sun was already giving her skin a natural glow. 

“You know, you should think about all this,” Marisol said, pulling Gemma out of her head.

“What’s that?” Gemma asked.

“You should think about what I was saying,” Marisol said and Gemma still looked lost, causing Marisol to roll her eyes. “You need to be fierce. You’re going to have to steal one of our partners to stay.”

The words Marisol spoke hung heavy in the room. The other girls all turned to look at Gemma with various looks on their faces. Hope did not look concerned. Marisol looked curious. Lottie was calculating and Hannah…well, she looked worried. Gemma managed to say something about not wanting to hurt anyone if she could avoid it, which did not satisfy Marisol, but Gemma could only be who she was. It was not her nature to want to steal someone else. All she could do was form whatever meaningful relationships that she could and hope that she would still be here after the next recoupling.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The drinks had been flowing as it was a party and margaritas seemed to be the order of the night. Truthfully, Gemma was not much of a tequila drinker but it was easier to pour an already mixed drink into her cup than to mix one herself. It also made it less obvious when she was getting a refill.

Gemma felt like she needed a break from the main group all being together and seeing Priya cling to Ibrahim’s side. She thought that she had managed to excuse herself without anyone noticing as she slipped away. It was only three days in and Gemma was already feeling like sometimes it was a bit full on. It was hard to get a moment with your thoughts in the villa. As she walked over to the firepit, she could not help but think of what Marisol and Hope had both said about her needing to take someone else’s partner if she wanted to stay in the villa.

The night air definitely cooled things off and provided a nice break from the Spanish heat during the day. The warmth of the fire and the tequila she had consumed were set off nicely by the cool night air. Sitting with a drink in hand, she realized how strangely the time moved in the villa. All they had to do all day was talk, flirt, and participate in the occasional game or challenge. As a result, Gemma thought that relationships seemed to happen much faster than they would on the outside. On the outside, she could not imagine feeling close to someone that she had only met three days earlier. Yet, here, it felt like it had already been much longer than a few days. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps on the deck of the firepit and she looked up to see Bobby approaching.

“Mind if I join you?” Bobby asked and Gemma smiled.

“Of course not,” Gemma said and patted the bench beside her. He took a seat close to her but without actually letting his leg brush against hers.

“How are you doing?” Bobby asked and Gemma shrugged, taking a sip to buy herself another minute.

“It’s part of the game, innit?”

“I still feel bad,”

“You weren’t the one who stole Ibrahim. Or are you telling me that you’re off to steal him from Priya?” Gemma chuckled at the thought.

“I could do a lot worse than that lad, I’ll tell you what.”

“I don’t think you’d work. You might be a bit too out there for him.” Bobby’s hand flew to his heart in mock outrage.

“I will have you know I am perfectly capable of being serious!”

“When it suits you.”

“Aye, when it suits me,” Bobby said and looked more serious. “But, I am sorry…I feel like there’s something I need to tell you.”

“Oh?”

“I, erm, well…Priya asked me how I’d feel if she picked me and I, well, I asked her not to.” Bobby was avoiding Gemma’s gaze.

“I’m surprised. Priya is gorgeous.” Gemma didn’t want to say that Hope had overhead Bobby and Priya.

“She is, yeah, but…well,” Bobby said and looked up, steeling himself. “Oh hell, I really want to get to know you and I didn’t want Priya to pick me and get in the way of that.”

Gemma’s cheeks flushed as she held Bobby’s gaze and a smile formed at the corner of her lips. As scared as she was about the possibility of going down this road with Bobby when she felt like she had been there before, she also could not deny the pull she felt to him. There was just this clear chemistry.

“I want to get to know you better, too.” Bobby’s eyes widened in surprise before he smiled.

“You do?”

“Yeah, I do. I can’t pretend I don’t feel…this,” Gemma said, indicating the space between them. “And as much as it did suck to have Priya pick Rahim and leave me single, it’s really nice to know that there’s someone else who wants to get to know me.”

“There’s more than just someone else who wants to get to know you, have you seen yourself lately?”

“Hush…but…what’s going on with you and Marisol?

“Ahhh, not much if I’m honest. She is fit and all, but I just can’t really handle the whole bit she does trying to analyze me. We talked about it after Priya picked Ibrahim and decided for now we’re better as friends and we’re free to chat to other people.”

“I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes…even though you seem to like toes quite a lot.” She could see him blush even in the darkness.

“I will never live those jokes down.”

“Not when you made them on national telly you won’t.”

It was so easy to fall into conversation with Bobby and he always found a way to make her laugh, no matter the mood she was in. Things felt a lot easier and a lot lighter now that he had come to speak with her. She actually felt like she could handle this whole process again and that maybe, just maybe, she would survive past the first recoupling. Gemma knew herself well enough to know that she was going to keep her guard at least part way up around him for now. She also guessed that he hid parts of himself behind his jokes and humor as a defense mechanism, which was fine. After all, it had been a matter of days and it was not like she was anywhere near ready to bare her soul.

Bobby asked her silly questions that were easy to answer. What was her favorite dessert? What was her favorite place in London? He commented he’d only been once. Did she like the beach in summer or the mountains in winter better? He was not asking for details about her dating history or her relationship with her parents, both of which were difficult for her to answer. After they had been talking for a bit, they both decided that they should rejoin the group because their absence had probably not gone unnoticed at this point. As they were walking back, Gemma heard Noah call her name from the daybeds and wandered over there to join him, leaving Bobby to head back to the others.

“Got sick of us, did you?” Noah softly joked as Gemma plopped herself down on the other daybed.

“Sometimes it all gets a bit busy,” Gemma said and Noah nodded.

Gemma leaned back on the daybed and sat with Noah, just enjoying the comfortable silence that settled between them. It was already one of her favorite things about being friends with Noah. He was perfectly comfortable with just sitting in silence with her and it was never awkward. She was currently the only other girl in the villa that Hope did not seem to object to Noah spending time alone with. Hope had expressed that she sometimes struggled with being around other women along with her own insecurities. She did not know the other girls well yet. Thankfully, she felt like she was able to trust being around Gemma and be herself. It was a side most people had not seen from Hope.

“I really love that it’s not weird to sit in silence with you,” Noah voiced and Gemma looked over at him and smiled.

“It’s like you said, it’s an act of closeness. Tell me something I don’t know about you.”

“There’s quite a lot you don’t know about me.” Gemma rolled her eyes.

“Ugh, really Noah?”

“Okay, okay,” Noah said throwing up his hands in surrender. He thought for a moment. “Back at the library I started running a reading group for children every Sunday. I pick a different book each week and I read it to them. I make it a whole thing, I do the voices and everything.”

“That’s so sweet! There are so many good books you could choose.” Noah’s expectant look turned proud.

“I’m open to suggestions.”

“At the end of summer when we’re all out of this mad house, I’ll make you a list.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

“Babes, you don’t have to hold me to it when I’ve offered.”

“Okay, what’ve I walked into?” Hope asked, but without any jealousy, only curiosity.

“He was telling me he does a reading group with the kids at the library with voices and all, isn’t that sweet?” Gemma said and continued before Hope could answer. “I told him I’d make him a list of my must-reads for kids when we were all out of here.”

“Do you still read kids books?” Hope asked, causing Gemma and Noah to laugh harder.

“No,” Gemma said when she’d stifled her laugh. “I just love to read. I remember some of my favorites. And I know what my nephews like to read.”

“That’s right, I forgot you had nephews,” Noah said.

“Yeah, hell on wheels, those two. Whoever said terrible twos obviously never experienced twin boys at age five. My poor sister,” Gemma said.

The three of them happily passed the time chatting about everything and nothing all at once. Gemma knew that Hope could be a bit much with the others and that she was already very protective of her relationship with Noah. At the same time, that was not the Hope she got while they were alone, or even when Noah was with the pair of girls as well. Gemma also felt something of a kinship to Hope. They had both been badly burned in past relationships. On top of that, Hope was fighting for her place as a minority and a woman in a field dominated by men. It was hard for Gemma to imagine that kind of pressure, since she had spent some much time in ballroom dancing. But, she was starting to see it as she got deeper into the music industry and how labels and record executives were dominated with men. Regardless of the reason, Gemma was already thankful that she had Hope and Noah as people she could count on. She very much liked Hope, but she could also get a little caught up in things. It was also nice to have someone like Noah where they could talk about things like their favorite books or just sit quietly together.

As the night wore down, couples started to filter inside to get ready for bed. Gemma had not thought about this until now and realized that she would be sleeping in a bed by herself in the bedroom now, with Priya taking her former bed with Ibrahim. Even though Gemma was trying to be understanding about the whole process, she did not really want to watch the pair of them together. More than that, she did not want to make it awkward if Priya and Ibrahim wanted to get up to anything. That was also not something she wanted to hear, if she was honest. With that in mind, Gemma headed inside to get ready for bed. As soon as she had changed into pyjamas, a sexy little silk robe number in coral, she went to grab a blanket and a few pillows from the closet. In passing, she let Marisol know she was headed out to sleep on the daybeds and quickly exited before Marisol could give her a pitying look. That was not what she wanted or needed right now.

\-------------------------------------------------

When Marisol had come into the shared bedroom and said that Gemma was sleeping outside for the night, Hope had immediately turned to Noah. Neither of them had needed to say it, but Hope confirmed that she was going to go sleep outside. Hope truly appreciated how understanding Noah was about the situation. While Gemma was setting herself up on the daybed to settle in for the night, Hope was pattering out, sensing that Gemma had not seen her yet. As soon as Hope said she and Noah had agreed Hope would also spend the night outside, Gemma threw her arms around her friend. Hope could feel everything unsaid in that hug and knew how much Gemma appreciated the gesture. It was crazy to think that these two were already feeling close to each other after just a matter of days.

“I was just thinking…should I tell you about…well, that?” Hope asked and gestured a hand back at the villa.

“About what, exactly?” Gemma asked, shifting to look at Hope, who was laying on her side but propped up on her elbow to face Gemma.

“Priya and Ibrahim. I could tell you, I know I’d want to know.”

“Yeah, go on.”

“Okay so first of all, she really does have some sexy nightwear.”

“I know, right? She looks like she’s just stepped off a magazine shoot.”

“I mean, she’s not the only one. She’s got some fierce competition in you.” That caused Gemma to blush.

“Can I tell you a secret? Well, it’s not really a secret.”

“Shoot, babes.”

“I had to ask a friend to help me pack. I just…I wasn’t sure exactly what was appropriate and I was leaning too conservative, I thought. So she had to help.” Hope stifled a laugh behind her hands.

“You’re too much! But back to Priya and Ibrahim…”

“Right, sorry.”

“So, she walks in wearing this sexy outfit and Ibrahim looks over, like not looking sure what to say…and nothing happened.”

“What do you mean?”

“No kiss, nothing. They were keeping it really PG.”

“Hmm, maybe he’s not that into her.”

“She’s gorgeous and he’s definitely noticed,” Hope said and then shot a hand to her mouth. “My big mouth, sorry babes.”

“It’s fine,” Gemma said and paused. “Well…maybe she isn’t into him?”

“Actually, that’s the best bit! Noah overhead Priya speaking to Marisol saying that she thought Ibrahim was definitely a bit of her and she fancied him. I guess Priya said he’s really, really, really fit.”

“How is this the best bit?”.

“Babes, I was getting there. But, then Priya said that she didn’t want to make a move yet like this because she thinks you’re really nice and you’d be a good friend and she doesn’t do that to her friends. Even though he’s really fit and she does really fancy him.”

“She really said that?”

“Yeah, she said he was fit like dozens of times.” Gemma hit the other girl with her pillow.

“Not about him being fit, about me.” Hope giggled again.

“Yeah, she did say that. And she’s right, you are lovely and definitely a good friend.”

“Thanks, babes, you’re a good friend too.”

“It’s mad, though, I never get on with girls like this. I know I can be a bit full on and sometimes it’s hard to turn it off. It’s how I have to be at work to be taken seriously and now it’s kind of just my life, you know?”

“I get it, I do.”

Hope was incredibly career-oriented, she had admitted it right off the bat to Gemma. She was not sure what it was about this other girl that made her comfortable, but Hope felt at ease to begin sharing parts of herself. Not everything. They had only met a few days ago, after all. But, Hope had started to speak about her career and the difficulties that she shared when she got a moment alone with Gemma. Hope had graduated from university and immediately gone to work for the same company that she was with now. She had worked through to her position now being a Retail Ambassador within the Marketing Department. She was also really proud that she had other employees that reported to her. It was also a lot of pressure at times because she knew that there were always eyes on her. Sometimes it felt like the higher ups were just waiting for her to do something wrong. It was crazy to feel that way, but this job had meant everything to Hope. She wanted to continue to climb to the top and had to wrestle constantly with just how much she was willing to do to get there.

One of her closest friends from university had also gotten a job with the same company right out of school. Initially, the girls had thought that it would be the start of a decades long friendship, someone who would always be there. Now, Hope realized that she was not willing to do _whatever_ it took to get ahead the same way Anabelle had been. At first, it was subtle. Ana was getting slightly better jobs from people even higher up than Hope was. It had really frustrated Hope because she looked at her numbers and her ideas and they were just better than her friend. But, they were friends, Hope had reminded herself, and she needed to be happy for her friend. That was when Ana got her first promotion, less than a year after they had joined the company. It had seemed to come out of nowhere. Still, Hope tried to plaster her smile on as she suggested the pair go out for drinks to celebrate. Things had started to get tense between the two friends and Hope seriously began to question what she was doing wrong. Was she not as good as faking her enthusiasm for her friend’s success? Surely, it was natural to feel a little jealous and Anabelle had said herself that she understood Hope also wanted to succeed. Anabelle had been sure that something was coming for Hope.

Weeks had gone by and Hope was actually starting to get more assignments. She had developed a good relationship with other people higher up than she was in marketing and was getting even better about sharing her thoughts. Someone recommended that Hope try out some leadership seminars to really help her voice her ideas. It had been a good suggestion, Hope thought. She had always been good about saying how she felt. She had come from a bigger family and you had to be loud if you wanted to be heard. But, work was different. If you said something wrong, these people were not your family and they did not have to like you. So, she looked into some classes and started going, quickly picking up skills that she could use at work. After a few classes, she felt bad that she had not let Anabelle know what she was doing and offered to bring her friend along to the next class. Without a thought, Anabelle had immediately brushed it off, saying that she did not need the classes because she was clearly doing fine on her own. This was a completely different person than Hope had known in university. Hope initially chalked it up to her imagination. She reasoned away that she was just jealous of her friend having better success than she was. Maybe Anabelle was right and Hope just was not as good at asserting herself in the work setting and that was why she was not able to get ahead like her friend.

The next month, Hope was staying late at work. Her boss had asked for her help on a project and Hope had promised to finish before she left. Even though her boss said it could wait until the next day, Hope was really trying to show initiative. She was getting noticed, in a good way, for her work ethic and her ability to convey her ideas. She was really hoping this would lead to a promotion because she had already been taking on more responsibility. It was past 8 o’clock when she had finally finished and decided to call it a night. She figured that nobody else would still be around. As she was gathering her things from her desk, she noticed a light on down the hall. Just as she was deciding if she wanted to go check on whoever was still here, she saw Anabelle come out of the office, followed by an older man who was higher up within the company, definitely above Hope’s boss. Without thinking, Hope crouched so as not to be seen, but as there was nobody else around, the voices carried.

“You naughty minx, Ana,” he crooned as Anabelle giggled.

“Nobody’s around and it’s not like your wife will expect you home when you’ve told her you had a deadline,” Anabelle said, putting on her best sultry voice.

“Well, if nobody is around, maybe you should come back in,” he said.

“Hmm, I don’t know, you did say it was time for me to leave,” Anabelle said.

“I can persuade you,” he responded and Hope glanced over the top of the divider, seeming him step toward Anabelle.

“I’d love it if you tried,” Anabelle responded immediately.

Without another word, he closed the space between them, pressing his lips to Anabelle’s and wrapping his arms around her. His hands slid down to rest on her backside as she moved her hands to his waist. Her hands immediately found his belt and started unfastening it as he spun her around and pushed her against the wall, kissing down her neck. With another giggle, she grabbed his belt and pulled him back into the office, with him closing the door behind him.

Hope had stood rooted to the spot of several minutes before realizing that she needed to get out of there. She remembered the whole scene like it had been yesterday. As she recounted the story to Gemma, she thought about it all had felt. Eventually, Hope had confronted her friend, expecting some sort of shame on the part of Annabelle. Instead, she found that Annabelle simply laughed in the face of one of her dearest friends. Annabelle called Hope naïve for not understanding how the business world worked and realizing that you had to make choices to get ahead. Annabelle was not sorry and did not care how she had advanced her career, she only cared that she had. She even went as far as pointing out that Hope would be too scared to ever report Annabelle and so there were no ramifications for her actions. That moment had shaken Hope’s faith in friendships and had hardened her. She knew that there must be another way to get ahead and that was when she had decided to turn all her focus on being the best she could. She had gone to numerous workshops as a result and learned what she referred to as her leadership skills. She had admitted most of the story to Gemma and she knew Gemma was probably filling in some blanks of her own. She was so perceptive.

Eventually, Gemma started to drift off to sleep and Hope started to panic about having shared so much about her past with this new girl. Would she see this as weakness and use it as a chance to get ahead of Hope in the villa? Everyone here liked Gemma already, while Hope knew that she was not everyone’s cup of tea. What if Gemma decided to use some of the story and what Hope had not even been able to say against her? But, Hope was being ridiculous. They were in here to find love and not everyone was out to get ahead of her by cheating. It was silly to worry about something that happened in an entirely different situation happening again on a reality show. Then, Hope worried that they would air the conversation on the show and somehow Hope would come out looking bad as a result. Again, she had to calm herself and know that it wasn’t exactly interesting given that they had also talked about Priya stealing Ibrahim and everything else from the day. Gemma’s breathing got deeper and more even and Hope used that as a way to quiet her own mind into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter was a little long, but there just wasn't really a great place to break it up without the first chapter of the two being really short. I also hope (no pun intended) you are liking getting to see more insight in Hope and a different side to her. Truthfully, her and my MCs were never close in the game, but I felt like there was more to explore with her and possibly even a side that was relatable.


	7. The Resident Single Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for the first challenge and single girl Gemma is out to win it. It's a girls challenge, but let's be serious, they're all winning on this one. Who's going to be the lucky girl that earns herself the first date of the season?

Gemma woke up and stretched on the day bed after having spent last night outside. Sure, there was a bed for her to take in the bedroom if she had wanted it, but it just felt easier to sleep outside and not deal with watching Ibrahim in his new couple. She also did not want him to feel awkward if he and Priya had decided to get up to something. Part of her had felt better when Hope said Priya and Ibrahim were keeping it PG. Looking to her side, Gemma saw that Hope had left already, probably to go back to Noah. While Gemma was a little jealous of Hope having someone to go back to, she thought that she may have someone of her own to go back to soon enough. With a yawn, Gemma pulled herself off the daybed and headed inside.

After a quick shower, Gemma headed to the dressing room to figure out what she was going to wear for the day. Well, it’s now or never, she thought and selected one of her most revealing bikinis. He was a deep green string bikini with bottoms that may as well be a thong for all the coverage it offered. Looking in the mirror, she adjusting the top making sure her boobs were covered for the most part. This was definitely going to give away where her hidden tattoos were. She had worn bottoms with a little more coverage until now and looking down, she saw the tattoo on each of her hips on display. Figuring she might as well show off the sixth tattoo as well, she divided her hair into two sections. She pulled each section into a high bun on either side of the top of her head. Gemma quickly applied a layer of water proof mascara and swiped some lip gloss across her full lips before deeming herself ready for the villa.

The next stop for Gemma was the kitchen to get something to eat for breakfast. She just wanted something quick or easy instead of spending too much time in the kitchen. When she stepped back out of the villa, she saw that Ibrahim and Priya were over by the gym. It seemed like Priya was watching Ibrahim work out. Maybe they would be a cute couple. Marisol and Hannah were both in the kitchen working on separate meals. As she approached, she could hear Hannah trying to tell Marisol about one of her favorite characters and favorite stories, which was not going well.

It was clear from the way that Marisol and Hannah were standing that they were not exactly seeing eye to eye on something. Usually, Gemma would be up to play referee, but she was not exactly in the mood this morning. They weren’t the single girls in danger of leaving. Although, Bobby had expressed interest in Gemma and said he and Marisol were keeping it as friends for now while Gary was not exactly hiding that he was looking elsewhere.

Instead of worrying about breakfast at the moment, Gemma grabbed an apple and wandered off in search of somewhere else to be. She heard a small snippet about cooking breakfast for Gary and hurried off before getting dragged in. It was only a few days in and Gemma did not want to find herself in the position of being the peacekeeper. She had too much experience with that already in her real life and this was supposed to be a break for her. She contemplated going over to work out in the gym area but was not really in the mood to watch Priya as she watched Ibrahim working out himself. Gemma wandered back to the daybeds intent on cleaning up her bedding, until she realized there had not been a text about a recoupling yet. So, she neatly folded the blankets and set them aside, just in case she needed to sleep outside again. It was not something she wanted to do, but sometimes it was the most comfortable.

While she had been folding blankets, Noah and Hope had appeared by the pool. As Noah slipped into the water, Hope stretched herself out on a lounger. Gemma made a beeline over to her friend, who smiled in response. She happily accepted Hope’s offer to sunscreen Gemma’s back so she wouldn’t burn. Bobby wandered over just as Hope was applying the sun cream to Gemma’s lower back.

“What’s going on here?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow as he plopped on the lounger next to Gemma.

“Massages, obviously,” Hope quickly responded, sending Gemma into a fit of giggles.

“And I wasn’t even invited?” Bobby asked, feigning hurt as he held out his hands. “Have you seen these hands?”

“You do have nice hands, to be fair, but does that mean you give a good massage?” Gemma asked, propping herself up on her elbows.

“I’ve had no complaints. It’s a bit like kneading dough, after all, and I’m great at that,” Bobby said and both girls laughed.

“I’ve never heard anyone put it that way,” Hope said. “I can’t decide if you’re a genius or not.”

“Ah, well, if you can’t decide best just to say I am,” Bobby answered with a wink and Gemma chuckled again.

“I meant to ask you, what was going on in the kitchen earlier?” Hope asked, looking to Gemma.

“I’m not sure, I grabbed something and got out quick. Sounded like they were talking about Gary,” Gemma said, laying back down.

“They were,” Bobby said and tapped the side of his nose. “I got out of the bedroom just as they were coming in. They’d both made him breakfast and were fighting over who got to give it to him.”

“Who won?” Gemma asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Weren’t you mad Marisol was doing that?” Hope asked and Bobby smiled.

“Nah, her and I aren’t suited to be a couple, she’s got every right to find someone better for her. And I don’t know who won, I got out of there quick,” Bobby said.

Noah eventually stopped swimming and joined the group of them on the loungers. Bobby did not last for much longer though as he seemed to find it difficult to stand still. He ran off after saying something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like pranks and Gemma watched him, wondering what he was up to. It was an incredibly relaxing day in the sun and Gemma was actually hopeful that this day would not have too much in store for them.

Later in the day, Gemma had wandered into the kitchen thinking that she wanted something to eat for lunch. She had not had much in the way of breakfast and her belly had started to grumble. As she was staring into the fridge, hoping something would jump out at her, one of the production assistants came out from the villa announcing that they were delivering a platter of sandwiches and salads. Gemma was internally thankful that she would not have to make something herself. She was a good cook but sometimes you just did not feel like dealing with it.

After lunch, Gemma was lounging in the sun with the girls as the boys splashed around in the pool. There was an unspoken agreement in place at the moment that nobody was going to get on anyone else’s case about grafting. Gemma and Priya weren’t talking about Priya stealing Ibrahim. Hannah and Marisol weren’t arguing about who was going to get to bring breakfast to Gary. Lottie wasn’t getting onto anyone’s case about girl code and Hope was not trying to subject any of them to her learned leadership skills. In fact, they were all getting along as well as they had since they had entered the villa, before meeting the boys. Lottie had been giving them little helpful make-up tips that she had learned over the years in her work as a make-up artist that ranged from full-on looks to more natural looks. Some of the girls had been surprised to know that Lottie was just as good at the natural look. As she said it, she just liked to be more full-on because it was an advertisement for her services.

A phone beeped out, disrupting the peace, and Gemma cleared her throat before declaring she had a text. The girls were already sitting together, but some sat up on their loungers. The boys splashed their way out of the pool and came to gather around Gemma and the other girls. When everyone was there, Gemma read out the text.

“ _Islanders, please head over to the challenge area for your next challenge, The Kissing Booth. #liplocked #bestkisser!_ ”

“Are we setting up a kissing booth?” Lottie asked. “Isn’t that something you see in those movies at the fair?”

“Guess we better find out,” Hope called and started heading over to the challenge area.

Over in the challenge area, they found an actual wooden booth set up with a banner overhead that read “Love Island Kissing Booth” in neon pink cursive lettering. Everyone had different reactions to the set up. On the part of the booth that was waist level, there was a blindfold, a pair of headphones, and other bit of rope. Gemma’s first thought was that this looked a little kinkier than your average kissing booth. She noticed there was a separate, walled off area in the corner of the stage and was wondering what it was for.

When everyone was on the stage and the cameramen seemed satisfied that they had gotten enough shots of the group running up, the host, Lauren, read out the rules of the challenge. Each boy would take turns being blindfolded and standing behind the kissing booth. He would also have on noise-cancelling headphones to try to dull the noise. Finally, he would have his hands tied behind his back. One at a time, each of the girls would step forward and kiss him. The goal was to keep it as anonymous as possible with the boys not being able to see or hear who was approaching, and not being able to use their hands to give anything away. After each kiss, the boy would give a rating out loud between 1 and 10. This would go on until each of the boys had kissed all the girls. At the end, each girl would have her scores averaged. The girl with the highest score would get to pick which boy to take on a special date that night. The point, apparently, was supposed to be to give one girl a chance to get some extra time in before the next recoupling. While Lauren was prepping Rocco, who was up first, Gemma pulled the girls aside to chat.

“Okay girls, I know this could be a lot of drama but it’s still early days and I think we should have some fun with this,” Gemma said.

“I love a little kissing challenge,” Priya said. “I say, bring it on.”

“Of course you would,” Lottie said, frowning in Priya’s direction.

“Lottie,” Gemma said in a pleading tone.

“Are you planning to go full on?” Hannah asked, clearly not as comfortable.

“You have to do what you’re comfortable with, Han,” Lottie said, seeming like she wanted to say more.

“I’ll be honest, I do plan to go full on. I’m single right now and I’d like a chance to take someone for a date,” Gemma said.

“I get that,” Lottie agreed, surprisingly. “I don’t like it, but when you say it like that, I get it.”

“But, can we agree, that even if a girl goes full on, we’re not going to get on her case afterwards?” Gemma asked.

“Sounds fair,” Priya agreed.

“Good with me,” Marisol agreed. Lottie and Hannah followed suit, nodding.

“Hope?” Gemma asked, knowing she was the only one who could say this. “I know you really fancy Noah, but it is supposed to be a fun challenge, right?”

“Fine, yes, I agree,” Hope said with a sigh.

“I like that we’re doing this first,” Lottie said.

“And no sneaky comments about Priya, right Lotts?” Gemma asked, causing Lottie to roll her eyes.

“Okay, okay, Miss Peacemaker. I’ll be good for the challenge,” Lottie said, sticking out her tongue.

“That’s all I ask,” Gemma said.

The girls had been told to stand in any order, as long as they switched the order after each guy. The other guys had been ushered over to stand the walled off area so that they wouldn’t be able to see what was happening. They also were evidently all given headphones to wear as well so it would be harder to hear. Unsurprisingly, Lottie designated that she would be first for this one, even though the others had said that might be obvious. Truthfully, Gemma was not looking forward to kissing some of these boys because she just did not see them that way. Then again, they would not know it was her and they were all attractive in their own ways. When it came time for Gemma to kiss Rocco, she took a breath and stepped forward. She placed her hands on either side of his face and gently pressed her lips to his, slowly trying to savor the moment before running her tongue long his lower lip, prompting him to open his mouth slightly and deepen the kiss. Gemma arched her back a little, causing Rocco to lean forward into the kiss. He was definitely a good kisser and Gemma did not mind when he couldn’t speak, but when he opened his mouth, she was done. Eventually, she pulled away and saw Rocco looked a little flustered. She knew she was a good kisser, but was still surprised she had gotten an 8.

After the first round, Lottie was in the lead with a 9, with Gemma and Marisol tied in second with 8s. Ibrahim was next and the girls shuffled around, with Marisol ending up in the front for this one and Priya claiming the last spot, whispering about saving the best for last. Gemma had been unsurprised that Rocco was a good kisser, given his chats about deep connections and all that. Even though he was not aware of how ridiculous he sounded, he had clearly spent a lot of time practicing. When it came time to kiss Ibrahim, Gemma was forcefully reminded that she had already kissed him on the first night, before everything that happened. She shook her head to clear out those thoughts and took control of the kiss. In some ways, it felt just as familiar as it had when she kissed him before. Part of her wondered if he would recognize her kiss and how that might impact his scoring. As she pulled away, she was again given an 8, whereas Priya ended up getting a 9.

Gary was up next and the girls shuffled positions again. Something about Gary seemed kind of smug and like he was loving this challenge. Gemma had to check herself and remind herself that all the boys were probably enjoying the chance to get to kiss all 6 girls with minimal drama. It was the perfect chance to get to see how everyone else kissed. They had not realized that they likely wouldn’t know which girls they had kissed in which order, though. Once again, Gemma went in for the kiss and took a moment before deepening it and this time, heard Gary gasp slightly at the movement. Gemma ran a hand up the back of Gary’s neck into his hair and felt his skin prickle with goosebumps under her touch because she knew she needed to turn it on a little more. By the time she pulled away, Gemma could see Gary’s eyebrows raised in surprise before he called out that she had gotten a 9. Gemma took a step back, pleased with the 9. She was currently tied with Lottie.

Bobby was up next and Gemma felt herself blush a little as she let herself drift to the last position. Maybe there was something good about going last. However, she soon realized it had been a crazy idea to go last. Watching the other girls do their best to kiss Bobby had been more difficult than she imagined. It was only a challenge, though, and this was part of the game. Gemma internally cursed when Priya got an 8 out of him. He had given Hannah and Hope 6s, while he gave Lottie and Marisol 7s. She wanted to get a better score than Lottie so she could pull into the lead before Noah. Gemma stepped forward after a couple of deep breaths and leaned in to kiss Bobby. She instantly knew that if she won, she would be picking him. It felt like electricity passed between their lips and she did not even have a chance to deepen the kiss before Bobby had taken over that part. Gemma slid one hand up his arm to his hair, letting her fingers get caught in his dreads as her other hand ran down his chest. Him being this good of a kisser was a pleasant surprise. Finally, Gemma realized she had been kissing him possibly too long and pulled away, breathless.

“Wow,” Bobby said, softly, maybe not realizing with his headphones on that Gemma had heard him, before he cleared his throat. “That was a 10 if I’ve ever had one!”

Gemma went deep red as she turned back to the girls to see Priya smirking at her. Marisol, thankfully, did not look bothered and was instead smiling, clearly amused. Clearing her throat quietly, she walked back to stand in the group as Lauren switched Bobby out for the last boy of the challenge, Noah. She announced that one girl was currently 3 points in the lead and the girls all looked at Gemma as Noah pulled his blindfold on. This challenge was very much hers as long as things did not go too drastically wrong with Noah. She knew this was going to be the hardest because he was a friend and she cared about Hope. At the same time, she thought Priya might really go for it and Gemma did not want to lose. She was only 3 points ahead of both Priya and Lottie, although Lottie may not go hard for this last kiss.

Noah was ready and in place and Hope had unsurprisingly taken the lead on this one. She confidently strode over to him and grabbed his face, going for an over the top kiss and putting more into it than she had put into the others. Priya, who was standing next to Gemma scoffed and rolled her eyes. Interesting, Priya should really be worried about Ibrahim, but it seemed she had at least one eye on Noah. Gemma had drifted to the back for this one. Part of it was because she wanted to know what she needed to get to win and part of it was to prepare herself to kiss someone that she already saw as a good friend. Gemma had zoned out as the other girls were going but zoned back in as she realized Priya was striding up to Noah. Before long, Priya had earned an 8, which she was clearly proud of, and Gemma was up. Gemma knew realistically, she was going to win, but she still did not want to take any chances. It was an odd position to be in but she strolled ahead, trying to make out that it was no big deal and tentatively leaned into Noah. Unsure of what to do, she settled for putting her hands on his arms. His kiss was immediately soft and familiar in a way that Gemma had not been expecting. It was not awkward at all as she slid her hands up his arms to rest on his face. He must have known it wasn’t Hope but he deepened the kiss all the same. Gemma was completely lost in the moment and enjoying it far more than she had expected. Far too soon, she came back to reality and pulled herself away, seeing a smile on Noah’s lips.

As Gemma turned to walk back to the girls, she was pleased to see that Hope was smiling and clapping. Hope mouthed ‘nice one’ and smirked, which instantly put Gemma at ease. Noah announced that the kiss was a 10 and Gemma whipped around, jaw dropping. Quickly, she turned back to Hope who just shook her head but did not look unhappy.

“Boys, am I right? I’m glad you get your date, babes,” Hope said and Gemma actually thought Hope might mean it.

Lauren moved to bring all of the boys back out and let them all remove their headphones. Similarly, she had released Noah’s hands so that he could remove his blindfold and headphones. He seemed to be looking around to try and figure out what order the girls had kissed him in, but they were all grouped together, making it impossible to tell. Gary came over and clapped Noah on the back as everyone turned to Lauren.

“Well, the girls are certainly not going to be surprised because they definitely have already realized who’s won this one, but congrats to Gemma who will get to select one lucky boy for a date tonight!” Lauren announced and the girls all clapped. The boys were all looking around, clearly trying to figure out which kiss had been hers.

“Thanks for some great scores, boys,” Gemma said and winked at nobody in particular.

“So, Gemma, who are you selecting for your date?” Lauren asked.

Gemma suddenly felt nervous. She glanced over at the boys. Gary was smirking and looking confident. Rocco was trying to do his best impression at smoldering, which was failing. Ibrahim looked curious and Noah was looking at her with an encouraging smile. When her eyes finally landed on Bobby, she saw his amber eyes alight with mischief and definitely something else, maybe longing. Gemma looked back at Marisol quickly who gave her one short nod.

“The boy I’d like to take on a date…is Bobby,” Gemma said and watched as Bobby immediately broke into a smile.

Bobby hurried across the platform and scooped her into his arms, spinning her around. Without being able to stop herself, Gemma squealed with delight at his reaction and they both giggled as Bobby set her down. The other Islanders all clapped.

“Look at you, going from single to snagging a date, well played,” Priya said.

“Now I’m wondering which kiss you were,” Bobby whispered quietly into her ear and threw a wink at her.

“You already know, cheeky,” Gemma said and flushed red.

As the challenge was now over, the Islanders started making there way back to the villa in smaller groups, talking about the challenge. Gemma had fallen into step with Hope and Noah as she glanced over her shoulder to see Bobby speaking to Marisol. Both seemed to be smiling as Bobby looked up and caught her eye.

“Which kiss were you?” Noah asked.

“Which do you think I was?” Hope playfully asked back.

“I figured the last one that I gave the 10 to,” Noah said, clearly unsure.

“Sorry babes, that wasn’t me,” Hope said.

“Really?” Noah pressed and Hope shrugged with a smirk.

“Maybe we’ll have to test it out and see if you still think that one was me,” Hope said.

Gemma tried not to make eye contact with either of them as they were having this playful discussion, knowing that it was actually her kiss he had given the 10 to. She was so thankful in that moment for a friend like Hope who was not going to give her a hard time about it. Now, what she wanted was to be in a couple like Hope and Noah, where things seemed to be all new and shiny and fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to give a shout out to Kat again for all her incredible help and encouragement so far (and editing too!) because she's awesome. And also a shout out to Tori who's just been the best cheerleader in my corner. You both inspire me to keep going with this.


	8. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls, of course, have to chat about the Kissing Booth challenge while the boys have a conversation of their own. And it's the first date of the season. Gemma, surprising exactly nobody according to Hope, picked Bobby to join her on the date. Will we see sparks starting to fly?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song inspo for this is, of course, First Date by Blink 182.
> 
> I'm sorry, but to me this is always going to be a classic. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

The girls had gathered on the roof terrace to have a much needed gossip after the kissing challenge while the boys looked to be fighting each other in the pool with pool floats. Gemma sighed, wishing she was down there rather than up here. Everyone had been mostly reasonable about the challenge, which should not have been difficult. It was only a few days in. It was far too early for any kind of over the top behavior. Of course, it was reasonable to be attached to someone and have feelings starting to form, just not to the point of fighting over it.

“What did we think of the challenge?” Hope asked.

“It seems Gemma’s putting us all to shame,” Marisol said, raising an eyebrow in Gemma’s direction.

“Is that jealousy or curiosity, Marisol?” Gemma asked, keeping her tone light and playful.

“Certainly not jealousy,” Marisol said and Gemma winked at the other girl, causing her to blush.

“Seems like someone’s feeling left out,” Priya observed and the girls all giggled.

“Kissing is fun, I can’t blame Marisol,” Gemma said with a shrug.

“Kissing is the best bit sometimes, I’m glad we did that,” Priya said and Lottie rolled her eyes. “What?”

“It gives you a chance to kiss whoever you like, doesn’t it?” Lottie asked, narrowing her eyes at the older girl.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Priya asked, suddenly losing her light tone.

“You know exactly what it means. You got your chance to kiss whoever you liked,” Lottie said and Priya rolled her eyes.

“Lottie, in case you’ve forgotten, I already had the chance to choose whoever I liked to couple up with. And I chose Ibrahim,” Priya said and Lottie scoffed. “Kissing is just supposed to be a bit of fun.”

“You got pretty into it,” Lottie fired back.

“So did you!” Priya responded.

“Enough!” Gemma said, suddenly speaking up. Everyone turned to look at her. “Like I said before the challenge, this was supposed to be a bit of fun.”

“And then Lottie went and turned it into drama,” Priya objected.

“Like you’re so innocent with the comment about Rahim when Gemma is right here, single because of your choice,” Lottie said.

“This again? Babe, I had to pick someone. That’s how it works,” Priya said.

“Stop, stop!” Hope called, pulling the attention to herself.

“I think it’s natural if we’re a bit on edge, even with the challenge, because we know at some point there’s going to be a recoupling,” Gemma said.

“Do you think it’ll be soon?” Hannah asked, her eyes wide. 

“Honestly, who knows?” Gemma asked. 

“But, it’ll definitely be the boys doing the picking…unless we get new Islanders. It seems a bit soon for that, though,” Hope said. 

“I know this is going to be hard. I think we should try to do the best we can between now and the first recoupling of being mindful of everyone’s feelings. Obviously we all want to stay and that may not happen, so let’s just do what we can to make things as easy as possible until then,” Gemma said.

“Are you suggesting we just step aside?” Lottie asked, raising an eyebrow which caused Gemma to sigh.

“Lotts, you know that’s not what I meant. Things are going to get proper tense in here on their own without everyone jumping down everyone else’s throat at every chance,” Gemma said.

“I think she’s right, Lottie,” Hannah said quietly and Lottie visibly relaxed. 

“I know,” Lottie said.

“Are you set on Rocco?” Marisol asked and Lottie paused, recrossing her legs as she thought.

“I do like him and we’ve definitely had that look, you know?” Lottie said, causing all the girls except Hannah to smirk in agreement. “I guess I’m also worried he’s looking elsewhere.”

The girls were silent for a moment after this and Gemma did not want to voice her thoughts that Lottie may be right. Nothing about Rocco suggested he was truly looking for commitment. Then again, he was here, so maybe he was considering it. Or maybe he was just here for the free vacation. 

“Is it just me that’s really set on Noah?” Hope asked and cast a glance around. “I know it’s such early days, but he seems so…different from other boys I’ve dated. I think he might be good for me.”

“To be fair, he doesn’t seem to even look at anyone else,” Priya said, a little sadness showing her eyes despite her attempt to hide it.

“Yeah, unless we’re talking kissing challenges!” Hope said and immediately burst out laughing at the look on Gemma’s face, which made everyone else laugh.

“I don’t know what was better, her face just now or her face when he gave her the score,” Lottie agreed, laughing hard. 

“I guess at least it means the resident single lady gets a date, right?” Gemma joked. 

“And your choice surprised exactly nobody,” Hope said, nudging her friend in the side and laughing again as the blush crept up Gemma’s cheeks.

“Did he step forward for you on the first day?” Lottie asked.

“Erm, well…” Gemma said, not wanting to say that everyone apart from Noah stepped forward.

“He did,” Marisol confirmed and Gemma was surprised. Marisol just shrugged at Gemma. “I asked him if he had and he told me.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t pick him,” Hannah said. “You get on so well.”

“Yeah, well, I guess I was blinded by the abs,” Gemma said, referring to Ibrahim. All the girls burst out into giggles again.

“You and me both,” Priya agreed, seemingly thankful for the chance to joke like this. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

While the girls were up on the terrace, the boys were pretending to be messing around on the pool floats, but really using it as a way to talk about the challenge that they had just completed. None of them had been all that surprised when Gemma had been announced the winner as several of them had expressed interest in getting to know the curvy blonde better. Then again, that did not necessarily translate to being a good kisser. It did not seem like she was going to be single for long, though. Noah had already gotten to know her a bit as she and Hope were close. He was curious to see who would win her attention next.

“That was some challenge, I don’t mind kissing a bunch of fit birds,” Gary said, lounging back on his pizza shaped float. “Just wish I knew who was who.”

“I think I’ve got a good idea, they all put off different energies, don’t they?” Rocco asked and Noah saw Bobby roll his eyes.

“Who’d you pick as best and worst then?” Gary asked, almost as a challenge.

“It was easy to find Lottie, she’s got such a unique aura. I think I rated Hannah the lowest, her aura is so timid…and the kiss was timid too,” Rocco said, pondering. “Still special, just not quite what I look for.”

“I thought I had rated Hope the best, she says she didn’t go last though,” Noah said. 

“Could be she’s just messing around,” Bobby offered. “How’d she react?”

“She seemed entertained,” Noah said with a shrug and Bobby’s brow furrowed for a moment before the smile returned. Noah wasn’t sure if he’d just imagined the concerned look, it was so temporary.

“I reckon it was her and she’s just having a laugh, she’d’ve said something if you rated someone better,” Gary said and laughed.

“It’s weird though, innit? You’d think it’d be easier to tell if you’d already kissed someone,” Ibrahim said.

“Then, you should have a leg up since you’ve already kissed two of them,” Gary said.

“Erm, I’ve only kissed one of the girls,” Ibrahim said and looked uncomfortable.

“Priya then? You don’t waste any time,” Bobby said with an over the top wink.

Noah wished he could’ve deflected the situation. He knew that it hadn’t been Priya because he knew that Rahim and Gemma had kissed the first night. Then it hit him.

“Mate, we all saw him kiss Gemma on the first day in the Truth or Dare challenge,” Noah said and laughed.

“That hardly counts,” Bobby disagreed.

“Well, erm, we kissed that night too, before coming to bed,” Ibrahim said and looked away.

“It’s so important to find someone your soul connects to,” Rocco said and someone groaned. 

“Priya is gorgeous though, so we’ll see where that goes,” Ibrahim said, trying to avoid Bobby’s gaze. 

Noah settled back on one of the floats and just listened as the other guys continued on talking about the challenge and trying to guess which of their kisses had been which girl. It seemed like they were all curious about which kiss had been Gemma. Gary was not making it a secret that he still thought she was gorgeous and now that she was single, seemed to take it as a chance to get to know her. He seemed unfazed by the whole breakfast situation with Hannah and Marisol that morning or the fact that Gemma had chosen Bobby for her date that night. 

Ibrahim seemed to struggle with talking about how he was feeling. On the one hand, he did seem to be interested in Priya. She was a little bit goofy and it seemed like she might be able to bring him out of his shell a little more. He never came out and said it but he was very clearly still interested in Gemma. He seemed to have realized there were sparks flying with her and Bobby and did not want to get in the way of that. It was the more mature route than Gary was taking. Something about Gary just seemed to enjoy a challenge and maybe that was what interested him about Gemma. 

Somehow the conversation veered into a discussion about their numbers. At first, Noah had been unsure what Gary meant, to which Gary responded their number of sexual partners. Noah was not prude, by any stretch, but he was not incredibly interested in this line of conversation. Before anyone could object, Gary had proudly declared his numbers were over a hundred and he had lost count of exactly where they were. There was a smug look on his face. 

With numbers like that, what’s he doing on a show like this? It doesn’t seem like he’s looking for something long term. Noah’s thoughts stayed internal though as he tried not to pull a face at the number. 

It turned out that Bobby’s numbers were also higher than any of the others were expecting. He made a comment about not having a problem meeting girls. His problem was getting more serious with them. Rocco, on the other hand, actually had a much lower number than they were expecting. Noah drowned him out as he launched into another discussion of sex being meaningful and deep spiritual connections. With Rocco it was hard to tell if he believed what he was saying or if he was just so far down the path of this persona that he could not look back. 

Noah internally sighed with relief that Ibrahim’s numbers were also lower, like his own. Somehow Gary had missed the looks passing in between all of them and thought that his high numbers made him the winner. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement between the rest of them to let the crane operator have the win…for now, at least. There would undoubtedly be something down the line to would check him.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gemma was in the dressing room, getting ready for her date. Apparently, her and Bobby were having drinks and appetizers set up on the roof terrace, which honestly seemed perfect to Gemma. It would be nice to get some time just to themselves without all the pressure of leaving the villa on a date. Trying to keep from going over the top, Gemma had chosen a white romper with a floral print on it and a deep V to it. For some reason, she was actually nervous and she found her hand shaking as she tried to touch up her make-up. She set her hands down and closed her eyes, taking a few slow, deep breaths to calm herself. It was crazy to be nervous like this. Like she had just been telling the other girls, it was early days. Getting nervous just because it was the first date of the summer was silly.

When the challenge and the prize had been announced, Gemma had been excited. She was the single girl and she wanted to get some alone time with one of the boys. Well, Bobby. She wanted alone time with Bobby. And yet, now that it was here, she was questioning if she should have gone down this path in the first place. Was she just making the same mistakes she had made before? Was Bobby going to turn out to be just like her ex? Sighing, Gemma tried to push the concerns from her mind. You could not paint everyone with the same brush and the whole point of her going through with this stupid show was to give herself a chance to fall for someone again. She had grown an incredible amount since her split from her ex. She knew the signs now and she knew what to watch out for. She also knew what could possibly trigger her. Taking another deep breath, she again reminded herself that it was too early to be worrying about things like this. 

Before she had any more time to talk herself into or out of something, there was a knock on the door to the dressing room, which was empty aside from Gemma. The other girls were downstairs somewhere, fending for themselves for dinner and entertainment for the evening. Hope had helped Gemma to pick out what to wear and had even sat happily chattering away as Gemma got ready. She had been the last one out of the dressing room, with a wink to her friend before heading off to find Noah. Bobby popped his head around the door and started smiling stupidly the moment that he saw her. It managed to put Gemma’s nerves at ease to see that he was so happy to be meeting her for this.

“Are you ready?” 

“Whenever you are,” Gemma answered. 

Gemma stood from her position in front of the mirror with one last surreptitious look at her make-up and hair, before straightening to see Bobby was opening the door. He held it open and Gemma passed through with a smile. They had decorated the terrace and set a little table in front of the bench. There were candles placed around to give off a beautiful atmosphere. Voices drifted up from the pool area but were also muffled, which was good. It was not as much of a distraction. There was a bottle of red wine on the table and several dishes with appetizers on them. Not too bad for a simple roof terrace date. The two of them sat down and Gemma looked at Bobby fully for the first time. He had traded his usual shorts for a pair of nicer pants and wore a brightly patterned short sleeve button up with the top few buttons undone.

“Would you like some…” Bobby asked, betraying he was nervous too, as he trailed off and reached for the bottle of wine.

“Oh! Please.” Gemma grabbed her glass as Bobby fumbled a little with the cork and then bumped into Gemma as he was trying to pour, nearly spilling some.

“Damn, I’m sorry.” It was clear he was nervous. Somehow that made it that much easier for Gemma to settle her own nerves. She was thankful her palms weren’t sweaty like they sometimes were.

“Hey, it’s fine. No harm, no foul,” Gemma said and gently placed her hand on his arm. “Let me.”

“I’m rubbish at this kind of thing,” Bobby admitted and it made Gemma smile for some reason. “What? Are you laughing at me?”

“No, no.” Gemma was pouring the glasses and added another thought. “Well, not entirely.”

“I’ll have you know I’m not just here for your amusement.” Gemma couldn’t hold back the giggle in response to his mock outrage.

“It’s not like that, it’s just…how do I say it?” Gemma asked and paused, thoughtful. “I like that you’re not all Mr. Smooth. Even though you did tell us your nickname is Capt. B. Smooth.”

“Well, I suppose it’s a good thing then because I don’t know if I could pull off the smooth act.” He wiped the imaginary sweat of his brow. 

“Tell me something about you, though.” 

“Like what?” Bobby asked. “I’ve already told you that I’ve got an older sister, like you, and about my parents.”

“No, deeper than that. How’d you get into baking?”

Bobby’s face lit up like a kid at Christmas with even more genuine excitement than she had seen from him before. He had no hesitation to launch into a story about how his grandmother had been one of the best bakers he had ever met and how he and his sister had always loved trips to see her. She had been the one to teach him that baking was about a feeling more than just following a recipe. And she had also been the one to teach him that baked goods were always a way to make people happier. They were a way to celebrate, to say you were sorry, or brighten someone’s day, just because. His sister had wanted to learn how to bake first and Bobby did not want to be left out. As it turned out though, she was a disaster in the kitchen. She could not even handle following a recipe with specific amounts of every ingredient and so when it came to their grandmother’s way of doing by a feeling, she was hopeless. That was fine with Bobby because it meant he got all the time. He was working at the hospital for now, but when he had the money, he was going to open his own bakery. It had been his dream since he had been little.

Just like every other time they chatted, Gemma found it incredibly easy to fall into a comfortable rhythm with him. He did not seem nervous anymore and she did not really feel nervous. It was like they had known each other for years. He always kept her laughing at the most ridiculous jokes she had ever heard but there was also moments where he was serious, like when he spoke about baking. When there was a break in the conversation, Gemma picked at the food. She found that she was more interested in getting to know the boy in front of her, though, than whatever food was on the dishes.

“Okay, now tell me something I don’t know about you,” Bobby prompted.

“That’s a rather open-ended question. How do I even figure out where to start?”

“Come on, you asked about baking. Fair is fair.”

“All right, all right,” Gemma said and thought. “Hmm, I’ve been on a reality show before.”

“What?” Bobby asked and Gemma laughed. “You’re joking, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m actually not, but your face when I said it was cute.” 

“What show?” 

“Ah, now that’s another question, and I think we’re out of wine.”

“You’re impossible.” 

“I know.” 

Bobby stood and offered his hand to Gemma to help her to her feet as well. She had given him an honest fact, but she was not sure she was ready to get into that yet. Part of her thought that some of the Islanders would think it was weird. Marisol went on about how good a salsa dancer she was and how stereotypical it was for a Spanish girl to like Salsa dancing, as if Salsa had even been invented by the Spanish. The truth was, Gemma knew she could out dance the other girl, even in Salsa. In addition to her ballroom dancing titles, she had been one of the professionals paired with a celebrity for the Strictly Come Dancing on two separate seasons. Somehow, it had not yet come up, but she knew that if she stayed, it was only a matter of time. She was not embarrassed by it at all, it had been a great experience and she had done surprisingly well. There was just something different about talking about dancing in front of the Islanders that was vastly different from performing. When she was performing, she was fearless and she had no issues with the attention. It was different when she was not in costume and she had to use her words rather than her movements. 

As soon as Gemma and Bobby got downstairs, the rest of the Islanders had questions and it was hard to separate one question from the next. Nobody had gone on a date yet, even in the villa, so they wanted to know what it had been like. Gemma found herself blushing as she talked about how nice the setup had been. Bobby put his arm around her and gave a little squeeze before agreeing that it had been a really enjoyable time. Just as someone was preparing to ask another question, a text chimed out.

“Oh! I’ve got a text!” Priya announced, surprised.

“Well, read it out.” Hope said.

“Islanders, tomorrow will be the first recoupling. Anyone single at the end will have to leave the villa immediately. #timesup #partysover.” Priya read out.

An immediate silence followed this announcement as they all looked around at each other. Gemma found herself glancing to Bobby and letting out the breath she did not even realize she had been holding when she smiled and threw her a wink. Would he pick her? He seemed like a pretty strong possibility. But then, who would be going home? One of the girls would be walking out of the villa in less than 24 hours and it seemed to have occurred to everyone.


	9. First Recoupling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our Islanders have made it to the day of the first recoupling after Priya's text the night before. Who will remain when the dust settles? And what does one Islander have to say about how the first recoupling went? This is where their summer really begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one is a bit longer, but I was trying to make it through the whole day because it was hard to find the right spot to break it up. 
> 
> Song inspo - Let the Games Begin by AJR

Gemma had slept in the communal bedroom the night before, not wanting to spend another night on the daybeds. They really were not as comfortable as the beds the Islanders were supposed to sleep on, which, Gemma reminded herself, was probably by design. It was much more peaceful this morning with everyone still asleep. The news from the night before still weighed heavily on her mind. Some people had said that she was in the best position, able to graft whoever she wanted. The fact still remained, though, that she would have to steal someone else’s partner.

While everyone was still asleep, Gemma decided to take advantage. The gym would be empty and she would be able to get a workout in the way she liked without any of the boys interfering. Quietly, she slid out of bed and headed off to the dressing room. She had grabbed a sports bra and a pair of mesh shorts. After grabbing a hand towel from the bathroom, she headed outside. She could feel it was going to be another sunny, hot day, but some of the coolness of the night still clung to the air. Gemma did some light stretching to warm her muscles up knowing she was going to work a little harder than usual. It was a good way to get her mind off of what was coming later that day.

After the warm up, Gemma set the weights on the leg press so that she could start there. Gemma was strong all over, but most of her strength came from her core, legs, and glutes. It only took a few reps before Gemma’s mind went peacefully blank, focusing only on the task in front of her. From there, she went to a different machine to work on her thigh muscles, thankful that she was still alone. For some reason, guys always seemed to want to stare when a girl was squeezing her thighs together on an exercise machine. Gemma’s legs were pleasantly burning as she grabbed a mat and laid down to go through several ab workouts, switching through various types of crunches.

As Gemma was deciding if she wanted to do any more crunches, she heard the villa door slide open and looked toward the noise. She sighed seeing that it was only Noah and returned his smile as he walked over to her. It seemed he had the same idea and she was not at all opposed to working out with him. he was so easy to be around. Gemma stood and started to adjust the weight on the bar to do squats.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Noah asked, noticing the sweat dripping down Gemma’s body.

“Actually I slept well,” Gemma said. “I just woke up and needed to put my energy somewhere.”

“Yeah, that text last night threw everything off,” Noah agreed.

“Maybe for most people, but not for you,” Gemma said and Noah blushed.

“I suppose my job’s easy. Still, though, it’s tough to say goodbye to someone,” Noah said and was adding weight to the leg press.

“Oh don’t rub it in that you can leg press more than I can,” Gemma said and Noah laughed.

“I’m like twice your size, of course I can press more,” Noah said. “You do press quite a lot, though.”

“That’s because I focus on legs over arms every time,” Gemma said with a laugh.

“Need a spot?” Noah asked as Gemma prepped to start her squats.

“Nah, but I know where to find you if I need you,” she said and Noah laughed.

They both worked out in silence for several minutes, each counting the number of reps they had gotten through. Again, Gemma was struck by how easy it was to be in silence with him. There was nothing awkward about it. It was only comfortable. She was rarely this comfortable with someone right off the bat and took a moment to appreciate that. It was also a good time to let her mind wander. What was coming tonight? Was she going to be able to save it all?

“How are you feeling about tonight?” Noah asked, breaking the silence. Gemma thought for a moment as she finished the set she was on and set the bar back.

“I’m trying not to think about it,” Gemma finally said.

“I don’t reckon you’re going anywhere,” Noah said.

“This place is full of surprises, you never really know what you’re going to get, do you?” Gemma asked and Noah stopped to look at her, thoughtful.

“No, I suppose you’re right,” Noah said.

Gemma moved away from the equipment and started to do some stretches. Her body was pleasantly aching from the workout and she figured that she had done enough for now. Plus, the others would probably be waking up soon and while she had no issue being alone with Noah, she did not want to deal with a more crowded gym if Gary or Ibrahim decided to join in a morning workout.

After stretching and cooling off, Gemma said her goodbyes to Noah and headed for the showers. She was right to assume people were starting to wake up, but thankfully was able to get into the shower without any trouble. The warm water was welcome after putting herself through a morning workout. She wrapped herself in a towel and stepped out of the shower and right into another person.

“Oh, sorry!” Gemma said, realizing she had walked right into Bobby.

“No, my fault,” Bobby said.

The blush rose on his freckled cheeks, giving him an adorably flustered look. His eyes seemed to involuntarily glance down Gemma’s towel clad body as they stood close to each other. He was standing shirtless in his yellow pajama pants covered in cupcakes and there was just something so perfect about it. Gemma noticed his bathroom caddy in one hand and toothbrush in the other.

“I, erm, noticed you weren’t in bed this morning.”

“Yeah, I woke up early and went for a work-out.”

“Glad you didn’t change your mind and sleep out on the daybeds.”

“They’re really not that comfortable for sleeping.”

“Look, erm, can we talk a bit later this morning? About the recoupling?” Bobby blushed.

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

With a smile, Gemma stepped to the side of Bobby, letting her hand brush past his on her way out. She looked over her shoulder and found he was watching her go, so she threw a wink at him.

After selecting a bikini that had a bandeau top that was black with some embroidery and hot pink, high-cut bottoms, Gemma twisted her hair on top of her head to dry. Then, she headed out to the kitchen. She was actually in the mood to cook this morning and was happy to find the kitchen empty. First things first, though, she got a pot of coffee started, knowing that Hope could not be trusted if there was no coffee started when she wandered out. Next up, it was time for scrambled eggs and toast. It was simple yet filling and it was exactly what Gemma wanted. Marisol wandered out as Gemma was finishing making herself breakfast and smiled.

“Who made the coffee?” Marisol asked skeptically.

“I got it started,” Gemma answered and Marisol sighed, relieved.

“Thank god.”

“Not getting anything to eat?”

“Not yet,” Marisol said and looked over at Gemma. “I love that swimsuit, by the way.”

“Oh, thanks, babes.”

“You’ve got all the tattoos on display today again, haven’t you?”

Gemma looked down at her hips and saw that the tattoos on each side were in no way hidden by the high cut of her bottoms. After the game of Two Truths and a Lie, there had been some interest in her tattoos. They had been more distracted by the Kissing Booth yesterday though. On her right hip, she had a feather that turned into birds in flight, under which it said: take these broken wings. On her left hip, she had a continuation of the birds turning into the words: and learn to fly. They had been done small, with intricate details.

“Do you like them?” Gemma turned from one side to the other to let Marisol see them.

“They’re beautiful and they seem to tell a story, just like the one on your finger.”

“And the one under my boob?” Gemma offered and this time Marisol blushed. That one was an elegant script that read “In Omnia Paratus” which translated to ready for anything from Latin.

“I think you’ve lived more so far in 25 years than some people live in their whole lives.”

If she only knew how true that was. Nothing about Gemma’s life up to this point had been normal, strictly speaking. She had seen a lot of things and experienced some very really heartache. This was not what she wanted to be talking about first thing in the morning on a day where one of the girls would be leaving. So, she steered the conversation away towards superficial topics until she had finished breakfast and could excuse herself. Honestly, she was still not sure about Marisol. There were times that she could be pleasant to be around and other times where it was borderline insufferable. Gemma had met girls like Marisol before, there was something about them that just itched to prove themselves. But what they were trying to prove was always unclear.

Even though she knew what was at stake that evening, she still did not really want to spend the whole day trying to convince someone to pick her to keep her safe. If she was honest with herself, she wanted Bobby to pick her and she thought that he might want the same thing. It scared a little because he was the type of guy that she could completely see herself falling for. Then again, you had to take risks sometimes to get something that you really wanted. This whole experience was supposed to be about fresh starts and giving herself a chance to find something new and wonderful. Everything in the villa got distorted. She was having these thoughts four days in. What would it be like if she made it far enough to be four weeks in? Her thought were interrupted by Hope plopping down on the sun lounger next to Gemma.

“Babes, I’m worried about you,” Hope said immediately and sighed. “You’re sitting here and sunning instead of working out your options to stay.”

“I mean, I think laying out and sunning is a pretty good reminder of why the boys should keep me around, don’t you?” Gemma quipped back and Hope had to smile despite herself.

“I’m serious, Gemma, I don’t want you to leave yet. You’re the only girl here I really feel like I can talk to. I don’t want to spend the whole summer without you,” Hope said and Gemma sat up to give Hope her full attention.

“That’s so sweet, hun,” Gemma said sincerely.

“So, what do you think your options are? I’ve been noticing some sparks with you and Bobby,” Hope said in a whisper and gave an over the top wink at her friend.

“Never do that again,” Gemma said, bursting into laughter.

“Fine, fine, but back to Bobby?”

“He’s really attractive, of course, and he said he wanted to chat to me this morning about recoupling.”

“That’s perfect, Gemma, really. So, you’re not trying to get back together with Rahim?”

“I don’t think so. I just…I don’t know. I don’t think we’re suited for each other.”

“I hate to say it, but I agree.”

“And no way am I trying to be stuck with Rocco until the next recoupling, even if it means I get to stay.”

“But, babe, your tattoos are so deep with like, so much meaning,” Hope said, pretending to be Rocco and causing Gemma to clutch her side from laughing.

“It’s the worst and now Marisol has said something about my tattoos being a story and I was like, no thank you. Maybe they’d make a good couple though.”

“I think he’ll pick Lottie again.”

“Which just leaves Gary. If I’m honest, he’s a good looking guy, I suppose, but a bit too much of a bloke for me.”

“I mean, there are five guys, you know, you can acknowledge him.”

“Babes, everyone in the world knows he’s picking you tonight and as he should. You’re so cute together.”

“We are, aren’t we? I can’t help it. I know I’m getting in too deep, too fast, but I’ve not felt like this about a boy in ages.”

“It’s Love Island. If you’re going to fall fast anywhere, it might as well be here.”

“D’you think he feels the same?”

“Yeah, I do. I woke up early this morning and was working out. He came out when I was getting to the end of it and we chatted a bit. It was clear the choice for him tonight was easy.”

“Yeah he mentioned you were already out there when he headed out.”

“I reckon he needs someone a little louder, maybe a little more…forceful?” Gemma said, searching for the word and seeing Hope’s face. “Not, like, in a bad way. I just think he needs someone who’s louder to bring him out of his shell. He can be so quiet.”

“I just hope nobody turns his head.”

“Like who?”

“I don’t know, I was worried Priya might fancy him.”

“I don’t think she’s his type. And really, aside from him being attractive, I don’t know that he’d be her type long term either. I think she fancies the glamorous life.”

“Did you say Noah is attractive?” Hope’s tone gave away that she was highly amused.

“Oi, I have eyes, don’t I?” Gemma shot back, causing Hope to double over laughing. “Next thing I know, you’re going to be giving me a hard time for saying you’re beautiful.”

“You’re the sweetest,” Hope said and smiled. “I do wish we could fast forward and see who was going to be going home though.”

Gemma smiled and said nothing, just hoping that it was not going to be her. She had already made some good friends. These may not have been people she ever met had she not come on the show. Now that she had met them, she was not ready to go home yet. What was coming next for all of them?

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It turned out that Bobby had not been able to have the chat he desperately wanted to have with Gemma during the morning. As soon as he had made his way outside, Gemma was already in the middle of a conversation on the loungers with Hope. The two of them were chattering away, laughing every few seconds and he was afraid to go over and interrupt that. He was being stupid, he knew, but he could not help it. He had never met a girl like Gemma before. Where he usually felt awkward or uncomfortable, she embraced that side of him. There was nothing about being around her that made him feel pressured to be smooth. He could already see himself opening up to her, which scared him but also excited him.

Just as he was getting ready to finally make a move over towards Gemma to ask for that chat, he watched Gary approach. Gary was the complete opposite of Bobby in a lot of ways. He was all brawny muscle and confidence. Where Bobby used jokes and masked his insecurities in approaching women, Gary did not seem to have any of those issues. Gary said something to Gemma who nodded and followed him over to a pair of beanbags. He found himself watching the way her hips swayed back and forth, almost like she was floating along…or better yet, dancing. Where he was all awkward and nervous energy, she came off as calm and entirely graceful. Bobby assumed Gary wanted to chat about the recoupling and was now kicking himself for letting Gary get to her first. What if she decided that she preferred Gary’s chat to his own? What if she had not felt the same way about the date the night before as he had? Damn, had that date really only been the night before?

Even though it was torture, Bobby continued to watch Gary and Gemma from the kitchen, which was a perfect vantage point. Gemma was adorably sitting cross-legged on her beanbag where Gary was stretched out, seeming to try and get his muscles to flex while still being subtle. As he was speaking, her eyes scanned the lawn and found Bobby’s for a second. She smiled before turning her head back to Gary, who did not seem to have noticed. Just that one glance told Bobby what he already knew. He was in trouble. He wanted his shot with this girl and he may have to fight to get it. Even if she did not realize it, she had options. He continued to watch and she glanced over again. This time, Bobby looked away and blushed, realizing that she had caught him watching again. He turned away and looked into the fridge just for something different to do.

“Looking for something in particular?” floated a melodic voice from behind him. It was a voice he already recognized anywhere.

“Aye, but I don’t know what,” Bobby said, turning around to see Gemma perched on a kitchen stool, leaning forward on the counter.

“A picture would’ve lasted longer, you know,” Gemma said and smiled, her vibrant blue eyes were alight with mischief.

“I have no idea what you mean,” Bobby said, feigning innocence and earning a dramatic eye roll.

“Course not. Hey, give me your phone.”

“Uh, why?”

“No questions, just gimme.” Bobby sighed, though he wasn’t remotely exasperated with her.

“You’re exhausting.”

“You don’t know the half of it.” Bobby gulped hard.

She fiddled with it for a moment and Bobby wondered what she was doing. Then, he realized as she held it up in front of her and pulled her hair down, running her hand through to get a natural look. She took a few pictures of herself, trying out different poses and he watched in awe. She was stunning without trying to be. She did not try to be sexy or irresistible, she just was. She continued on, oblivious to his inner monologue, and settled on a picture, handing the phone back to him.

“There.”

Bobby accepted the phone and looked down to find a picture of her with that hint of a mischievous smile on her lips. She had perfectly captured the way her blue eyes could glint like she knew something nobody else did. Which, now that Bobby thought about it, she probably did.

“Is this your way of saying not to look at you anymore? Should I just cover my eyes whenever you’re around? Or hold up my phone?” Bobby asked, surprised how easily the jokes flowed. Gemma responded with a real laugh, nothing like her sweet giggle. She didn’t care how she sounded when she laughed and he was so drawn to it.

“I thought you wanted to chat.”

“I did…I do. But, someone’s been popular today.”

“You could’ve interrupted.”

“Look, I’m just going to come out and say it. I’d like to pick you tonight, but…only if you want me to, that is.” He sighed with relief at the genuine smile on her face.

“I would love that.”

“Have you, erm, asked anyone else to pick you?”

“No, I haven’t.” Gemma slid off the stool to walk around the counter and stand closer to Bobby.

“I wasn’t sure…with Gary, you know.”

“I thought it was pretty clear when I picked you for that date.” Gemma had hopped up to sit on the counter so that she was closer to the same height as Bobby.

“I just didn’t want to get the wrong idea.”

Gemma scooched over a bit and rested her head on Bobby’s shoulder. He instantly relaxed at the simple gesture. Being this close to her, he could smell how incredibly tropical yet unique her perfume was. Somehow it smelled like the ocean and a bouquet of flowers all rolled into one with something citrus to top it off. He had never smelled anything like it and immediately figured it was something so…her. He realized then it was the same scent that had overwhelmed him yesterday during the challenge when he’d had the most perfect kiss of his life. As he was thinking all of this and trying to process and place the scents, he turned his head to see she had tilted her head up on his shoulder.

Their faces were impossibly close and he was suddenly unsure of what he should do. She had been right yesterday when she said he already knew who he’d given the perfect score to. He had thought it was her then, but knew without a doubt that it had been her now. Up close, he could see that her eyes were not just blue at all. The iris was circled by a thin line of the brightest green, almost like a cat’s eye, before fading into the dazzling blue. He had not even processed what he was doing when his lips pressed lightly to hers. Thankfully, she returned the pressure in a brief but no less incredibly kiss. When they pulled away, she was smiling at him and he would’ve given anything to know what was going on behind her expressive eyes. He placed his hands on the counter, one hand on either side of her full hips. Her legs were parted and he stepped between them, bringing their bodies closer. This close he could see the vulnerability in her eyes. She ran her hands up his arms and he felt his skin prickle under her touch as he watched her hands graze his arms. When they made eye contact again, he was wondering what she saw reflected. She had her arms around him and pressed her lips against his again. This time, he knew he could not wait and soon their tongues were tangling together. He moved his hands to her hips and let them continue to wander onto her butt, grasping it and hearing a soft moan come from her as her thighs squeezed his own hips. They pulled away again, slightly breathless. Gemma was first to regain her composure as Bobby stepped back.

“I hope things are clearer now,” Gemma said and smirked, her dimples forming ever so slightly in her cheeks, as she winked and headed off.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Truthfully, Gemma was a little caught off guard herself after kissing Bobby like that. Even though she was single and it was clear he was in a friendship couple, it still felt wrong to have kissed him like that. What was worse, though, was that Gemma was not sorry she did it and knew that she needed to remove herself from the situation before she ended up in a much more R-rated version of the kiss. Something about him excited her but also made her nervous about where it was going. She tried to remind herself yet again that this whole show was supposed to be about giving herself a chance to see things develop. It was about taking chances. Fake it til you make it, right? She was not nearly as confident as she seemed.

The afternoon had passed entirely too quickly and the girls were now in the dressing room. You could have cut the tension with a knife. They all knew that one of them would be getting ready for the last time in the villa and would be leaving immediately after the ceremony. Hope was the only one who seemed to be truly immune to all the tension, carefully applying a bright shade of eyeshadow. Priya was deciding between dresses, Marisol was examining her shoes, and Lottie was trying to figure out which palette she wanted to use. They both looked exactly the same to Gemma as she smoothed her flowy white halter dress down and checked her reflection. Hannah let out an exasperated sigh as Gemma was trying to pick a pair of shoes.

“Are you okay, babes?” Gemma asked the younger girl.

“Do I look okay?” Hannah replied and looked on the verge of tears.

Hannah was standing with a clump of clothing at her feet and it was unclear if she had just been indecisive or if they had all fallen out during the process. In any case, Gemma thought an honest answer was likely to be more than Hannah could handle. Instead, Gemma kneeled beside Hannah to try and offer what little help she could.

“I just…I feel like nobody is going to pick me,” Hannah said quietly, holding a shirt in her hands. “Gary might, but I think his head’s been turned.”

“Did Gary speak to you about what he was thinking?” Gemma asked, equally quietly.

“No, I didn’t really get a chance to speak to him about it. He only said he would rather not think about the recoupling and wandered off,” Hannah said.

“Hey, babes, don’t cry,” Gemma said, reaching for a tissue and wiping Hannah’s face carefully so as not to disrupt her makeup.

With a smile, Gemma stood and walked back over to her shoes. Of course Gary had not said anything. When they had spoken, he had been clear that he did not want to pick Hannah and did not see anything happening with her. Gemma had told him he needed to tell his partner so she would not be blindsided at the recoupling. She was so young and Gemma did not want to see Hannah hurt unnecessarily. Really, she was just not cut out for this process. It was a bit disappointing to realize that he had not said anything. There was nothing Gemma could do, though. She was certainly not going to be the one to tell Hannah. With a sigh, she picked a pair of hot pink espadrilles to add the splash of color to her white dress.

In seemingly no time at all, Marisol got the text that they were to head down to the firepit for the recoupling. Hope grabbed Gemma’s hand as they led the way out of the villa. The boys were already seated around the firepit, spaced out from each other. Most looked nervous and seemed unsure of where to look. Noah, on the other hand, seemed calm and confident, smiling at Hope as she and Gemma took their places on the other side of the firepit.

When all the girls had arrived and taken their places, a beep chimed out signaling a text. Noah stood and read that he would be the first boy to choose, followed by Bobby, Rocco, Ibrahim, and then Gary. When Noah had said Bobby’s name, Gemma had been unable to stop herself from looking to him. He seemed to have relaxed a little. Was he glad to be going second?

Noah, already standing, made a short but sweet speech about how much he had enjoyed getting to know Hope so far and how he looked forward to what the rest of the summer would have in store for them. He seemed pleased, but it was nothing to how happy Hope looked. The second he said her name, she had dropped Gemma’s hand and ran over to throw her arms around Noah. Gemma remembered what Hope had told her. Hope had said that when she fell for someone, she fell hard and fast and could never slow it down.

As soon as Hope took her seat next to Noah, Bobby sprang up, smiling. He also looked nervous as he glanced along the girls, finally resting his eyes on Gemma.

“I’d like to couple up with this girl because from the second she stepped out of the villa, I knew I was in trouble. I thought I’d lost my chance when she picked someone else, but it turns out I hadn’t at all. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was when she picked me for a date and I can’t wait to learn more about her. I love to see her smile and I’m hoping to keep making her laugh. So, the girl I’d like to couple up with is…Gemma,” Bobby said and Gemma sighed in relief. She had been smiling throughout most of the speech.

Gemma walked over to Bobby and wrapped her hands around his neck, pulling herself into him. He had to dip down a bit to wrap his arms around her back and she could feel him smiling into her hair. With a kiss to his cheek, she smiled again and sat down next to him. He reached over to take hold of her hand and rest it in her lap before turning back to the other Islanders. Gemma had completely missed Gary letting out a sigh at Bobby’s choice and Gemma’s reaction. She was pressed close into Bobby’s side.

Rocco sprung up and made a speech about the girl he wanted to pick being bold and opinionated. He said he was drawn to her like a moth to a flame and Gemma rolled her eyes hard, looking at Bobby to see he was doing the same. Seriously, who wanted to be compared to a moth? Lottie, for her part, looked pleased as she strolled over to him, planting a kiss firmly on his mouth. Gemma had rearranged her face to look happy for Lottie and was rewarded with a smile from the goth girl.

Ibrahim went next and actually seemed a bit nervous. He ended up making a sweet speech about the girl he wanted to couple with being sweeter than she was given credit for. He went on to say he looked forward to possibly opening up to her. He was certainly a tough nut to crack. It was unsurprising when he announced he was coupling with Priya and she glided over to him, planting a kiss on his cheek. All eyes turned to Gary.

“Wow, I didn’t reckon it would be so difficult to go last. One of you girls is leaving tonight because of me,” Gary said and sighed. “But, that’s the game, isn’t it? And, actually, someone already picked the girl I was hoping to choose.”

Wait, what? Gary had paused to glance over at her and Bobby. Bobby looked perplexed while Gemma tried not to roll her eyes. She had been clear when she had spoken to Gary earlier in the day. She was flattered that he was interested and she was not opposed to getting to know anyone. But, she also was not going to lie and say she was feeling a spark with him when she was not.

“Anyway, I’d like to couple up with this girl because I think she gets what it’s all about. Plus, she’s gorgeous. The girl I’m coupling up with is…Marisol,” Gary said.

Marisol sighed and flipped her hair over her shoulder before confidently striding over to Gary, who she met with a hug. She had not stopped to glance back at Hannah. In contrast, most eyes were looking to Hannah, who’s phone had just gone off. It was the text letting her know that her time on the Island had come to an end and she had to go inside and pack her bags to get ready to leave.

Lottie was to her first, throwing her arms around the younger girl. They had already bonded and it was clear that Lottie was upset. She tried not to glare at Gary, but failed, as she declared at least Hannah was leaving with a good friendship and promising they would hang out when it was all over. The rest of the Islanders lined up to give her a hug and express their sadness over her having to leave. Lottie had volunteered to go help Hannah pack. The rest of the Islanders awkwardly milled about without saying much before eventually making their way out the front door to wait.

Hannah, for her part, was really trying to hold it all together. She made a typical speech referencing some of her favorite authors. Only then did she seem to realize that there could have been things that she did differently. Without another word, she headed off down the walkway toward the waiting SUV. She waved over her shoulder one last time. Lottie sniffed from beside Gemma and Bobby reached out to pull her into a big hug. It had been a nice gesture, but she had a moment of wondering why Rocco was not doing that. She quickly shook her head and cleared the thought as being ridiculous.

The group all went back inside where Priya offered to make everyone a pitcher of something to drink. It was clear that she was happy that she had gotten to stay, especially since things had not been the easiest for her in the villa. Nobody seemed exactly sure of what to say.

“I can’t believe it had to all come down to me, that was proper brutal,” Gary said, seeming like he was feeling sad. Gemma was not buying it. Apparently, she was not the only one.

“Really? Because the choice seemed pretty easy for you,” Lottie retorted.

“What are you talking about? It wasn’t easy to send the girl home,” Gary said.

“You didn’t hesitate though,” Lottie responded.

“It was a decision in that moment,” Gary said.

“After you said the person you wanted to pick had already been picked,” Lottie said.

“Maybe don’t remind her of that with Marisol right there?” Priya offered and Lottie just glared.

“I still hadn’t made a decision before then,” Gary argued.

Gemma could feel the words coming up and was fighting to keep them down. She hated getting involved in drama. She was much more likely to place peacemaker to keep everything calm and avoid the conflict. But she also hated people, men especially, were dishonest in a situation like this.

“Now, that’s not entirely true either, is it?” Gemma asked and several eyes turned to her.

“What do you mean?” Marisol asked Gemma, one eyebrow raised.

“You knew you weren’t going to pick Hannah, knew and didn’t tell her, like I specifically asked you to,” Gemma said, not breaking eye contact with Gary.

“What?!” Lottie roared.

“I didn’t…it wasn’t quite like…” Gary spluttered.

“I hate being put in this position and I hate that I didn’t tell Hannah myself, but you should have told her,” Gemma said.

“She should have realized!” Gary said, finally regaining his composure.

“Oh, is she supposed to be a mind reader now?” Lottie scoffed.

“She told me she’d seen me speaking to Gemma, seen me speaking to Marisol, and wondered what was going on. She had to have known…” Gary said.

“You could have just done the decent thing and told her,” Lottie said.

“So could Gemma!” Gary shouted.

“This isn’t Gemma’s fault. Hannah wasn’t her partner, you were. We all know what this show is about, but the least you could have done was be honest about your feelings,” Hope reasoned.

“Fuck it! It’s all my fault!” Gary shouted and stormed off.

Silence followed his departure and Marisol went hurrying after him shortly after. It seemed like most people did not know what to say. Rocco had pulled Lottie into his chest and then the two of them wandered off as well. The remaining six of them all kind of looked at each other searching for a topic.

Things had been going so calmly up until this point, but with the first dumping, it seemed to wake them all up. Any of them could be sent home at any time. It was real now. Gemma had known that this would come eventually and that the peace would not last forever. What did this mean for the rest of the summer? There was only one way to find out. Let the games begin.


	10. Arguments and Blindfolds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the morning after the first recoupling and tensions are still high from the night before. Will brunch be enough to ease everyone's moods? Or will a challenge show which couples are feeling the pressure already? At least one of our Islanders is feeling happy with the way things shook out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Here in this room  
> I'm chasing down my demons  
> I can hear them breathing  
> But who knew?  
> You would be my comfort  
> You could bring me healing"
> 
> Kamikaze - Walk the Moon

Chapter 10

Gemma woke up the morning after the first recoupling feeling like she had a hangover even though they had not really drank the night before. The initial warm feelings of the first few days were gone and the drama had finally pushed into the villa. It had been a surprise that things had gone as smoothly as they had the first few days. A big part of that had been due to Gemma keeping a level head about Priya stealing Ibrahim. But, now the first person had been dumped and it had been made all the worse for Gary not having been honest.

Slowly peeking out from underneath her covers, Gemma saw that Lottie was already sitting awake and frowning. She sat up herself and tried to smile sympathetically when the goth girl looked over.

“How are you feeling, babes?” Gemma asked quietly and tentatively. She was honestly not sure if Lottie was upset with her.

“I think I’m still a little in shock,” Lottie admitted sadly. “I’d gotten close to her, you know?”

“I do and I’m sorry that I didn’t…”

“It wasn’t for you to say, don’t worry about it.”

Gary yawned and pulled the covers back a little, exposing his head but leaving Marisol still covered by the blanket.

“Mind keeping it down? Some of us had an…active night,” Gary said and through out a cheeky wink, clearly not realizing who he was speaking to.

“I didn’t hear anything,” Lottie said immediately.

“And would Marisol want you to say that?” Gemma asked.

“Not like it’s going to be private in here, with us all sharing,” Gary answered, a smug smile on his face.

“Uh, well it’s clearly a bit private as nobody heard you,” Lottie said.

“I just know how to be stealthy when doing bits,” Gary disagreed.

Lottie opened her mouth again but closed it as Marisol pulled the covers back and was already frowning. Surprisingly, she was frowning at Gary.

“What are you on about? We just had a quick peck to say goodnight,” Marisol said.

“Oh, well, I thought…” Gary spluttered and Lottie barked out a harsh laugh.

“Who’s surprised that Gary’s already lied again?” Lottie asked.

“Oh come on, this again?” Gary asked.

“Hannah literally left last night! Of course I’m still on about it,” Lottie said, looking like she was near tears.

“If not Hannah, it would’ve been me!” Marisol said, now looking at Lottie like she was hurt.

“Well, excuse me for not exactly being fond of you sending my closest friend in here home. It’s not like you and I really get on, either,” Lottie fired back.

“And who’s fault is that?” Marisol said angrily.

“Ladies,” Gemma called, desperately hoping for calm. The other Islanders had all started to stir but nobody seemed to know what to say.

“And really, it’s Gary who we should be cross about. Whoever he was going to choose, he still let Hannah believe it would be her,” Lottie said.

“I didn’t know who I was going to pick!” Gary said.

“You knew who you weren’t going to pick!” Lottie said.

“Well…that’s not…that’s not the point,” Gary said quietly.

“Gemma even said you told her you weren’t going to pick Hannah,” Lottie said.

“So why aren’t you cross with her?” Gary asked and Gemma glared at him.

“Excuse me! I told you to tell her and you promised you were going to talk to her,” Gemma said.

“Which is why I’m not mad at her! Because she was in a shitty position because you didn’t even bother getting to know Hannah!” Lottie said.

“Which still brings us back to him sending me home if he had saved Hannah!” Marisol shouted.

“Would you shut up for two second? It’s literally not about you. I’m not just mad because Hannah left, I’m mad because Gary lied! And if you’d think about it for a second, he’s literally just lied about you too. But have fun coupled with him,” Lottie spat.

“Okay, okay, okay, enough!” Noah called out, surprising everyone with how loud his voice could be. “Let’s all step away from this and cool off.”

Bobby looked over at Gemma and she could see concern in his eyes. She was tense and she hated the conflict. But she also hated when people were dishonest. There had been enough men in her life that had lied. Even though it seemed small, it still got to her. It was a small villa. Did Gary really think that he was going to be able to get away with anything here? Everyone talked about everything. It was all they had to do all day long. Gemma let out a breath that she had not realized she was holding when Bobby pulled her against his chest.

Everyone else was getting out of bed to start getting ready for the day. Gemma looked over at Bobby and pulled the covers over them, realizing they would actually have the bedroom to themselves. She did not want to get into why the situation had made her so tense. It was too early for all of that story. Luckily, once the covers were over their heads, Bobby did not seem like he wanted to revisit the argument they had just witnessed.

Gemma reached out to Bobby in the darkness under the covers and felt his hand grasp her arm to pull her against his chest. She did not need any help for her lips to find his. The kiss was already familiar and now Gemma did not feel the same sense that she needed to slow things down. They were coupled up now. And maybe other people in the villa were not well matched, but she was. Each of their hands was exploring the other’s body as their kisses intensified. Bobby had run a hand down her side to her hip and down her leg to her knee. He hitched her leg over his own hip and Gemma groaned as she pressed closer to him. Either he had woken excited or was already turned on by the heat of their kiss. Likely it was both. There was definitely a lot there to work with.

Quickly, Gemma rolled Bobby onto his back and straddled him, leaning back down to meet his lips again. This time it was Bobby who groaned as she pressed herself into his hips. Almost involuntarily, he bucked up into her and then grabbed her hips to steady them. Her nipples were hard as rocks and she wanted to find her relief with him. There was also something about not exactly knowing how long they had that was really exciting to her. Before the show, she had thought it would be easy to keep from having sex with cameras all around the villa. Now that seemed laughable. Going a whole summer in the villa without sex? Unlikely.

One of Bobby’s hands was moving slowly down her hip to the inside of her thigh when her breath caught. He had placed his thumb on the outside of her folds through her silk bottoms. He began moving in slow circles, driving Gemma crazy. She stifled a loud moan and then heard the sound of footsteps somewhere close, too close.

“Hey lovebirds, we’re getting brunch today. Get up and get ready,” Hope called and giggled when both Bobby and Gemma groaned.

“Be there in a minute, babes,” Gemma said, trying to make her voice sound normal.

“Take your time,” she called and Gemma could hear her footsteps retreating.

“She did say take your time,” Bobby said in a low voice, thumb still pressing against her.

“I think I need a cold shower if I’m to be expected to have brunch with all that lot,” Gemma said, but pressed into Bobby’s thumb.

“Are you sure?” he asked, starting to circle again.

“Trust me, I don’t want to leave. But if we don’t, one of them will come back soon,” Gemma said and sighed, pulling herself off of him and sitting up in the bed.

As she removed the covers, Bobby covered his eyes from the light. It was clear that neither of them wanted to leave the bed. But, they both knew Gemma had been right and that they would be interrupted again if they did not get out of the bed. Gemma pulled herself out of the bed first with a smile at Bobby, she knew he was going to need more time to get ready.

Thankfully, there was a shower free, so Gemma grabbed her caddy and a towel so she could quickly shower. True to what she said, she ran the water much colder than she normally would. She was trying to take a minute to calm herself down because she figured she would likely not get a chance to be alone with Bobby again until much later in the day, and that was if she was lucky. She barely paid attention as she picked a swim suit and quickly dried her hair. The other girls were in the dressing area as well, all in various states of readiness. Marisol and Lottie were determinedly not looking at each other. Catching Hope’s eye, both girls just shrugged. Gemma was determined to make this a good day.

Despite being the last girl out of bed, Gemma was ready when the rest of the girls were and they all headed outside together. It turned out that there was really an excellent spread of food for them that morning. They had everything from fruit and yogurt to all different types of eggs to sausages and bacon to Gemma favorite, the ever popular French Toast. In fact, she’d been so distracted by the food that she missed the cute little two person tables set up for each of them to sit at in their couples.

Bobby, who never took long to get ready, was already making a beeline for the plates so that he could get some food. Chuckling, Gemma made to join him but noticed Marisol and Hope were a little separated from the group. Hope looked like she was trying to listen as Marisol spoke quickly. When Hope caught Gemma’s eyes, Gemma knew she could not avoid the situation. She sighed and joined the two other girls.

“Oh, here’s Gemma,” Hope said and Gemma heard Marisol sigh.

“What’s going on?” Gemma asked cautiously.

“It’s nothing,” Marisol said quickly, shutting down the chat.

“Come on, Marisol,” Hope said and turned to Gemma. “She’s worried about the whole thing with Gary this morning.”

“It definitely wasn’t a good way to start the day,” Gemma agreed.

“Actually, I’m not sure Gemma can help. I’m a little worried the guys I couple with are more interested in her than in me,” Marisol said and Gemma’s eyes went wide.

“Marisol, I’m sorry…I didn’t mean. I thought you were okay with Bobby and I coupling up,” Gemma said and earned another exaggerated sigh.

“Well, I suppose I am okay with that, not that I had much choice, but I wasn’t really interested in Bobby. I am interested in Gary and it’s clear he was more interested in you,” Marisol said.

“I was very clear with Gary when I told him I didn’t want him to pick me,” Gemma said.

“Oh and that just lets you off the hook?” Marisol asked.

“Erm, I mean I don’t know, I guess? I can’t help what he’s thinking, but I can only say I’m not getting in the middle of it,” Gemma said.

“Of course,” Marisol huffed.

“I’d be more concerned with him not being honest with Hannah and then not being honest about the kiss, really,” Hope offered.

Gemma took it as a chance to quietly excuse herself from the conversation to get herself some food. She quickly grabbed some French toast and picked out a few of the crispier looking pieces of bacon. Now she just needed some syrup and she wandered over to the table that Bobby was already seated at.

“I saw you got caught up over there. I almost got back up to get you a plate,” Bobby said.

“Yeah, unfortunately,” Gemma sighed.

“What did Marisol and Hope want?”

“It was really more Hope wanting some support, which Marisol absolutely did not want.”

“Why wouldn’t Marisol want your help?”

Gemma looked up at Bobby to see if he was being serious or kidding. It seemed like he was being sincere and Gemma sighed. “She seems to think the boys she couples with are more interested in me than in her.”

“Well it’s not your fault. We’ve all got eyes and you’re gorgeous. And sweet. You’re like the human equivalent of a perfect cupcake.”

“What?” Gemma actually giggled at that.

“I said what I said.”

“I suppose it’s a good thing, comparing me to baked goods.”

“It’s the highest compliment I can offer.”

“No, the highest would be baking me a perfect batch of cupcakes.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Bobby winked across the table at her.

Brunch turned out to be exactly what they had all needed. At least, it was for Gemma. She had guessed that Bobby’s idea of a perfect date was at an arcade. Even though it was something she had never done, she could see where it would be fun and a perfect activity for Bobby, who didn’t like to sit still. She also learned if he had unlimited money, he would create brand new baked goods to sell at his very own shop. Gemma was really beginning to see that there were serious bits behind the joker mask. And, really, was there something terribly wrong about him making her laugh? It made her feel lighter than she had in a long time. Not for the first time, she thought that maybe this was what she needed.

It was easy to see how things could go with Bobby. When she looked into his amber eyes, she saw something more behind them. She had the feeling that he had experienced a lot himself. There was also this calm about him when he wasn't joking. It was hard to believe that they had only gotten coupled up the night before. Being with him felt comfortable. She found she did not have to remind herself as often that she was here to get past her issues. Maybe she would be able to trust him and let him see more of her. Maybe she could leave here with a great new friendship and the beginnings of a solid relationship.

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The afternoon found them competing in a challenge, which was exactly what they all wanted on full stomachs. Thankfully they had at least been given enough time to sleep off the food comas before making them be active. Because, naturally, this was a challenge that was going to make them be active. The Islanders had been hurried inside for an hour so that the crew could get something ready outside. Gemma knew she was not the only one worried what that might mean.

When they were allowed to go outside again, they found Lauren waiting to greet them in the midst of some sort of obstacle course. It almost looked like a maze with five separate lanes of twists and turns, complete with things designed to trip you up. As Lauren explained the girls would be blindfolded as their partners guided them through, Gemma could not help but worry. One part of the course looked like you would have to get down on your hands and knees to combat crawl. And it was in a different position in each lane. There was another section that looked as if you’d have to climb over small walls in some capacity. Yes, this was definitely shaping up to be concerning.

“We thought it was only fair that the girls be the ones to get the blindfolds on this time,” Lauren announced with a wink. “Boys, come grab a blindfold and help your girl put it on.”

With a squeeze of Gemma’s arm, Bobby followed the others over to retrieve a blindfold. She had a brief moment to see his eyes glinting with mischief before she sighed as she turned around. Bobby was great at a lot of things, including putting her at ease and telling jokes. She had a feeling that he was not going to be great at this. He guided her over to where she was supposed to start and felt Bobby’s lips press to her cheek before he moved away. As the boys took their spots on the opposite end of the course, she did not know they were being instructed to memorize bits of the course. The lines separating the lanes were coming down and they had to get their partners through the course in a specific order.

“Okay boys, hope you’re ready. Whichever girl gets over the finish line to her partner first wins ice lollies for her couple,” Lauren announced to a chorus of oooohs.

“We’re so winning this!” Lottie announced from Gemma’s left.

“No way, babes, Noah and I have this in the bag!” Hope countered.

Gemma was incredibly competitive but she was also silently wondering what her and Bobby’s chances of success on this one were.

As Lauren announced it was time to start, the five boys all started shouting directions at once. It was difficult to focus on one voice and drown out the others, especially when the girls started calling back in confusion. Bobby had been telling her to walk forward and he burst out laughing when she collided with another girl.

“Oops, sorry Gemma! That was Marisol,” Bobby said and Gemma could hear his laughter. This was a much worse thing to be blindfolded for than the Kissing Booth.

It was not the last time that she bumped into another of the girls. Each time was followed by laughter from Bobby. Eventually, it was also met with laughter from Gemma. She was imagining how ridiculous the girls all looked as they walked around, arms stretched in front of them and tentatively taking steps.

Each of the boys seemed to have a different style. Bobby was just calling things out as he thought them. Rocco seemed to be trying a more spiritual approach, calling for Lottie to rely on her other senses, which was creating frustration. Gary was somehow managing to compare this to working on the crane and Gemma had no idea how he was doing it. Marisol clearly was not making much sense of it as her frustrations boiled over and she snapped at him. Ibrahim seemed unsure of how to best direct Priya. He was profusely apologizing every time Priya bumped into anyone or anything. Noah, on the other hand, seemed quietly confident. He was not shouting directions, but seemed to be guiding Hope better than any of the other boys were guiding their partners. Gemma tried to block out the others and just focus on Bobby’s voice, directing her slightly to her left.

“Oops, sorry again Gemma! I meant my left, your right.”

Gemma sighed and moved in the other direction, tripping on something and nearly losing her footing. She frowned in the direction she thought Bobby was standing.

“Nice catch! That’s where you need to get down to the ground and crawl underneath.”

Bobby was clearly enjoying this and Gemma decided that he would have to pay later when they were through all of this. She tentatively kneeled down and felt around before her hand landed on something that felt like rope. She flattened herself down and tried to combat crawl through it. She had just made it to the other side when the host, Lauren, called out to them.

“And that’s the challenge! Hope was first to cross the finish line. You can take off your blindfolds now.”

Gemma removed her blindfold and blinked in the late afternoon sun. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness. When her eyes re-adjusted, she saw Hope smiling fondly at Noah. Priya also seemed to have gotten close to the finish line, as had Gemma. Marisol and Lottie both looked annoyed.

“Here’s the big question, will you share?” Gemma asked.

“Of course, babes,” Hope said.

The couples all wandered off to the kitchen. The ice lollies were a great treat in the shade of the kitchen area, especially after the girls had been running around trying to complete an obstacle course or maze or whatever you wanted to call it. It also seemed like some of the tension of the night before that had spilled into the morning had dissipated.

“I can’t believe you were trying to talk about cranes in the middle of a challenge,” Marisol said, scowling at Gary.

Well, that was short lived.

“I was just trying to guide you!” Gary retorted.

“Load of help that was,” Marisol said. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. I doubt you even wanted to win. It’s not like you even wanted to pick me.”

“I did want to pick you!” Gary said and Marisol huffed.

“It was better than this one telling me to center myself to find my path forward,” Lottie scoffed, eyeing Rocco.

“When one sense is deprived, the others strengthen. It was a natural way to see it,” Rocco said.

“I couldn’t see anything, that was the point. You were supposed to be my eyes,” Lottie said and rolled her own eyes.

“You’re unwilling to see the other paths,” Rocco said.

And just like that, the peace had been disrupted again. Lottie was arguing with Rocco at the same time as Gary was arguing with Marisol. It was impossible to figure out what any of them were saying. The other six Islanders silently looked at each other and agreed to slip away. This was not their fight and there was no sense letting good ice lollies go to waste. Just another day in paradise, right?


	11. New Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are still tense in the villa as two of our couples are realizing that they really aren't matched that well to each other. What will adding two new faces do to the already rising tensions? And what happens when one of the new faces isn't so new to one of our Islanders? It looks like Gemma may have to start opening up a bit more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Inspo:  
> No One Knows - Queens of the Stone Age

Hope had been up early, wanting to get some time to herself and think over how things were going so far. She had made herself a strong cup of tea and was sitting on the roof terrace looking out over the Spanish landscape. At first she had been thinking about doing some yoga or something, but then just figured she would wait until Gemma was up. Or she would go jump on Gemma’s bed and wake her up. Gemma was much more patient than Hope and it made her better at forcing Hope to relax. Rocco talked a lot about yoga and meditation too, but Hope could not be bothered. Even though she would not admit it easily, Hope got a lot more out of yoga when she let Gemma lead. Okay, so scratch that, she could not jump on Gemma and wake her up. 

Sitting on the roof terrace just to think turned out to be as good of an early morning option. The villa was so busy and it was so hard to hear yourself think on any given day. This experience had already been a lot more intense than she thought it would be. Hope was great in groups and at being a leader, but as it turned out, this was nothing like that. Nothing she had learned through school, work, or her many workshops had really prepared her for this. The truth was, Hope was realizing that it was harder for her to make friends than some of the other people in here. She loved Gemma and found her the easiest person in the world to speak to, but she also noticed that Gemma was just one of those people. She was charismatic without trying and could be the center of attention without ever wanting it. Hope sighed. She should not be thinking that way about her closest friend in here.

Then there was Noah. She knew that she wanted someone a little more on the reserved and quieter side. When you were loud and out there, like Hope was, you needed someone to balance you out. At least, that was what she had always heard. He seemed to like that she had taken charge from the first day. It had made everything easier. But, it seemed like he did not ever want to take charge himself. That was fine for now. Would it be fine outside the villa? Was this really the guy that would be her perfect other half? He was gorgeous and seemed to genuinely only have eyes for her. He was smart, caring, sweet, and even a little funny sometimes, which was a nice bonus. Hope told herself she was being silly. It was early and they were doing great. He was not looking elsewhere. Everything was good. There was still that little sneaking suspicion though. There were little things that they seemed to argue over. And if that was happening now, what would happen outside? Was Hope trying to force it?

It had been so nice for them to get the date yesterday and get to leave the villa. The day had been kind of dull and boring, if you ignored all the fighting that was going on. Things seemed relatively easy for Hope and Noah outside of the villa. They had joked about the villa, talked more about life, but also had little instances of something seeming off. Maybe Hope was being silly. It had only been about a week in the villa and it was the first date they had gone one. There had not been many pauses. Things with Noah were good. But was he it for her? He was quiet and thoughtful, which was a good contrast to Hope being loud. She was noticing, though, that he could not always push back on her if she needed that. 

Hope was about to go down into another thought tangent when she heard voices drifting up from somewhere downstairs, possibly by the pool. The voices did not sound like any she recognized and she peeked over the side of the wall. Her suspicions were confirmed. They had two new Islanders and both were guys. One was tall and tan with lean muscle and longer blonde wavy hair. As Hope watched, he pulled off his mic and ran to jump in the pool. The second was watching, seemingly in amusement. His dark, almost black hair looked like it had been gelled into place and everything about his just looked…posh. He was gorgeous and Hope was worried, right off the bat.

Turning to head back into the dressing room, Hope found that Marisol, Lottie, and Priya were already awake and getting ready. She asked about Gemma and Priya just shrugged saying she was still sleeping peacefully. Hope quickly told them that there were new boys outside and they all exited just as quickly as Hope had rushed in. 

When they got outside, one of the new boys was pulling himself out of the pool while the other was sitting at the edge. They both hopped up and introduced themselves. The tanned one with the blonde hair was Henrik and apparently he was a hiking and wilderness instructor. Lucas, the other new boy, opened his mouth and sounded every bit as posh as he had looked from the terrace. He was a physiotherapist and something about his smile seemed like he was hiding something. The girls peppered a few questions at the boys and they tried not to look overwhelmed. 

“So, erm, not that we’re not loving this, but aren’t we one girl and five boys short here?” Lucas asked and Henrik laughed.

“Yeah, where’s Gemma?” Henrik asked, throwing a wink to Lucas. 

Was Lucas coming in already interested in Gemma? It was not that Hope was jealous. She was definitely happy with Noah, even if they did snip at each other occassionally. Something just kind of felt like she was back in school again, friends with someone more popular than she was that all the boys wanted to get to know. She tried to push that thought down and out of her mind as she pulled a smile.

“Gemma seems to be having a bit of a lie in, let me go wake her up,” Hope said and hurried off. 

It was not Gemma’s fault that guys were drawn to her. Hope also knew there were things about the other girl that she had not fully gotten into. You could see it every time Gemma went silent that she had been through a lot. She had been very quiet about her relationship that had ended eight months prior and had not really brought up that she had been engaged before aside from when Hope asked about the tattoo on Gemma’s finger. No, it was not fair for Hope to feel jealousy of her closest friend in the villa. In actuality, Hope could see the two of them being best friends outside of the villa as well. When Hope rushed into the bedroom, Bobby was stretching and Gary was sitting up rubbing his eyes. Hope hopped onto Gemma’s side of the bed and basically on top of Gemma.

“Oi, Hope, she’s sleeping,” Bobby said.

“Gemma, time to wake up,” Hope cooed cheerfully.

“Five more minutes,” Gemma said sleepily as she tried to turn over.

“No more minutes, babes, it’s time to get up,” Hope said.

“Hope?” Gemma asked opening an eye before sighing. “Babe, it’s too early for yoga.”

“It’s not that early and it’s not about yoga. There’re new boys on the lawn and they asked about you,” Hope said and Bobby’s eyes shot up.

“New boys?” Bobby asked, clearly nervous.

“Yes, new boys and all the other girls are out there, let’s go!” Hope said, jumping off the bed and grabbing Gemma’s arm. 

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Gemma was liking this upbeat side to Hope and so she smiled and let Hope pull her away to the dressing room even though Gemma just wanted to roll over and go back to sleep. Truthfully, she had no interest in meeting new boys right now. Things were going well with Bobby and she wanted to keep exploring where they went. It did still scare her. In the back of her mind she knew that her friends would say this was exactly why she was on the show. But, they were also the ones who had been there when things had gone so far south with Callum. As Gemma said, you couldn’t judge a book by its cover. You also couldn’t avoid that there were some similarities in the personalities of Bobby and Callum.

After quickly selecting a yellow and white floral string bikini, Gemma twisted her hair up into a bun on top of her head and followed the happily chattering Hope outside. Hope had tried to get Gemma to do something more with her hair, but Gemma insisted on doing something quickly so that they could get outside. Hope had strung her arm through Gemma’s as they walked outside to see the other girls surrounding the two new faces. Both boys were taller and the one with the suntanned skin and long blonde hair caught sight of her arrival and smiled. Gemma’s eyes turned to the other new arrival, who’s back was to her. There was something slightly familiar about his sleek black hair that looked gelled into place or the line of shoulders as they melted into his back muscles.

“Gemma, this is Henrik,” Hope said, indicating the blonde, who smiled and nudged his friend. As soon as the other newbie turned around, Gemma’s eyes went wide. “And this is…”

“Lucas,” Gemma breathed.

“Hello darling, long time no see,” he said smoothly.

Suddenly it felt like there was a lack of air around her, even though she was outside. How in the world was Lucas Koh standing in front of her right now? How had the producers even found out about this? It was clear that this could not possibly have been an accident. You did not get “accidents” like this on Love Island.

“You two know each other?” Hope asked, looking at Gemma with concern.

“We do,” Lucas confirmed, fixing Gemma with his completely unfair smolder. 

Before the girls could ask any more questions about the shocking revelation that Gemma and Lucas actually knew each other, the boys appeared, boisterous as ever, as they jumped into the group. They had no idea what surprise had just been revealed. After a few short minutes of conversation, they moved the conversation to firepit for what Bobby called a proper grilling. Nearly everyone groaned. Gemma knew it was now or never, though, with telling Bobby she knew Lucas. She pulled him aside just before they were to the firepit.

“Everything okay, lass?” he asked. Her face looked concerned.

“Yeah, it’s just that, erm, well it’s like, I actually already know Lucas,” Gemma said and let it spill out. 

“The new guy?” Bobby asked, eyebrows furrowing. 

“Yeah, of course I had no idea he was coming on the show, but it’s already come up and I don’t want you to be caught off guard,” Gemma said quickly. “He did know I was coming on…”

“How do you…” Bobby started.

“Come on, you two, we’ve got new people to get to know!” Lottie called. 

“I’ll explain it all later, I promise,” Gemma said and quickly kissed his cheek.

She took his hand and they hurried over to the firepit, sitting down on one edge next to Hope and Noah. Hope smiled warmly at Gemma and it appeared Lucas was watching her. He was sitting toward the center, with Gary in between him and Henrik. Gemma looked back to Bobby and saw his eyebrows were furrowed again. With a squeeze of her hand, he relaxed slightly. 

The Islanders wanted to know what kinds of things that the new guys were into and what their jobs were like. Henrik immediately seemed like he would be a good person to add to the villa. She would happily have him boot Rocco or Gary out of their spots. He was making jokes and everyone laughed along with him. You could even hear a bit of the Swedish accent left over, despite his time in the UK. And even though they’d had their time in the sun, he was tanned, an obvious sign his whole life was outdoors.

Lucas was harder to decide if she wanted him to stay. On the one hand, he was genuinely a good guy. Maybe he could get a bit jealous sometimes and he definitely had a taste for the finer things in life, which others did not always understand. Gemma had gotten it right away, though. On the other hand, they had some history and it could be awkward to have him in the villa. As he carefully responded to the question asking about his number and glanced in Gemma’s direction, almost as if he couldn’t help it, she felt Bobby tense beside her. She turned her head to his and caught his eyes. When she squeezed his hand, she tried to put his mind at ease.

“So, boys, the real question, who are you interested in?” Noah asked and everyone paid attention.

“Oh, well, we’ve only just met you all,” Henrik said. “You’re different from on the telly.”

“Gemma,” Lucas asked confidently, locking his eyes on her. “She’d already caught my eye.”

“Looks like you might have to be up for a challenge, Bobs,” Gary said and Gemma narrowed her eyes at Gary. Really?

“If I had to pick…I’d have to say Lottie. I’m definitely interested in getting to know her better,” Henrik said and Gemma felt a rush of gratitude. He’d done that on purpose.

“Well, I think it’s time for a tour of the place,” Gary said, jumping to his feet. 

“Wouldn’t that be a job for the girls?” Marisol queried and Gary looked crestfallen for a minute.

“Why don’t we all do it together?” Priya offered.

“Yeah, lead the way, Gaz,” Henrik said.

“It’s Gary,” Gary huffed.

“Whatever, Gaz,” Lottie laughed.

“That’s sticking,” Bobby said as most of the group headed off.

Bobby had glanced at Gemma, but had decided to follow off on the tour. She had been torn. She wanted to talk to him and didn’t want him off with the group, including Lucas. She also did not think that he would say something to Bobby during a tour. Gemma had stayed seated as the others walked off. Hope had nudged Noah along to go join. As soon as he had left, Hope wordlessly led Gemma to one of the daybeds, where Gemma collapsed with a sigh. 

“So…Lucas,” Hope started and Gemma put her head into her hands.

“There’s no way this is just some coincidence,” Gemma said. 

“You think the producers knew you and Lucas had…whatever you’ve done?” Hope asked, still clearly unsure.

“So, he’s a physio, right?” Gemma asked and Hope nodded. “I’ve not talked about it much, but I guess it’ll all start coming out with Lucas here. I’m sure that’s also what they’re saying. I was a dancer, for years.”

“I’d kind of pieced that together,” Hope said and chuckled. “You have mentioned teaching and you’re still young, so I figured you’d danced yourself.”

“I used to compete in ballroom,” Gemma said and Hope’s eyes went wide. “Yeah, I started with I was really young, like 7 maybe?” 

“Wait, you were dancing in ballroom competitions at 7?” Hope asked and Gemma shrugged.

“They’re not what you’re thinking back then,” Gemma said.

“But, as you got older, they’re probably exactly what I’m thinking,” Hope said. “I bet you were good too, weren’t you?”

“I, erm, yeah I guess I was. I won a few titles, we can talk about that all later,” Gemma said dismissively.

“Oh sure, because it’s no big deal,” Hope said and laughed at her friend.

“Babes, I’m not saying it’s not a big deal, just that we have more pressing issues, yeah?” Gemma said and looked very serious.

“Right, right,” Hope said.

“So, I was a competitive ballroom dancer. You couldn’t really afford to get injured or let your muscles get too tight. But, I mean, it happens. We all went through this one office and that’s where I met Lucas. The first time I met him…it was years ago, before I started dating Callum. He must’ve been right out of school. He ended up being my physio for a while until Callum got too jealous of someone so young and attractive working on me,” Gemma said.

“We’re going to need to come back to him later when you’re up to it, but that doesn’t sound so bad,” Hope said, cautiously reaching a hand to grab Gemma’s.

“It wasn’t, he just had a really close knowledge of my body and injuries. He’s massaged me more times than I can ever count. But, then I broke it off with Callum and ran into Lucas randomly on a night out,” Gemma said and put her head in her hands.

“Did you,” Hope started and looked around to make sure the others were still all gone, “sleep with him?”

“No, thank god. We did do some bits, little bits. But we went out on dates, plenty of dates. He’d take me out to eat, to a show, dancing. We spent a lot of time together. He wanted things to be serious and I just…I couldn’t. I had just gotten out of something so serious. How could I hope into something else serious?” 

“Wow.”

“He was upset. I mean, he understood. He knew what I had been through, more or less. I thought he understood at least.”

“Do you think he came on here to get you back?”

“I, erm, I don’t really know.”

“Wow.”

“But, honestly, he’s not a good boy for me anyway.”

“Why do you say that?” 

“It’s…hard to explain, I’m not trying to dodge, but I also don’t want to impact anyone’s thoughts of him. He’s a good guy, just not the right one for me.”

“I suppose that’s fair.”

“He knew I was coming on, though.” Gemma had just remembered. 

“What? He knew?”

“I’ve just remembered. I ran into him a few weeks before leaving to come here and I mentioned it. He didn’t say he’d be coming on too.”

“Maybe he didn’t know yet.”

“Which brings us back to him being brought here because of me.”

“They do like drama.” Hope looked over at Gemma with a face full of concern.

Gemma was concerned too. What did it mean that they had dug out someone from Gemma’s past, and recent past at that, to come on the show? And what would Lucas bring up from her past that she was not ready to discuss yet? Her head was swimming. She had known that Lucas was not right, but part of the reason was that he was a serious relationship person and Gemma was nowhere near ready for another relationship. 

She did not want to get into this with Hope, but Lucas had an issue with jealousy as well. It would never work for someone like Gemma who was so naturally friendly. It especially would not work if she got back into dancing. She had to be close to her partners in that, it was the nature of the dance. There was no way she was going to put herself in a position like that again, even if Lucas was incredibly fit. Unfortunately, he did know her very well and she was worried what he might have to say. Then again, Lucas had always liked feeling as if he knew things others did not. He would know she had not gotten much into her background on the show.

As Hope and Gemma had moved on to another topic, Bobby appeared holding a cup of coffee for Gemma. Hope politely excused herself to go and find the others while Bobby settled down beside his partner. His face was missing the usually smile and was instead concerned. His brows were furrowed.

“So, you know that new guy?” Bobby asked.

“Yeah and I’m so sorry it’s all coming up like this. I had no idea he’d be coming on the show,” Gemma insisted.

“I think we need to…” Bobby started when a yell interrupted them.

“I’ve got a text!” Henrik shouted from somewhere else on the lawn.

Bobby groaned but was otherwise silent as he and Gemma stood to head over in the direction of where Henrik had gathered the others.

“Henrik and Lucas, as the new faces, it’s only fair that you get to play catch-up with your fellow Islanders. You will each be allowed to pick three girls for dates. Please make your first picks now. #getgrafting #earlybirdgetstheworm”

“So, who are you picking?” Hope asked.

“For my first date, I’d like to ask…Gemma,” Henrik said and Gemma’s eyes went wide. She had not been expecting that. “Will you come on this date?”

“Oh, erm,” Gemma said and glanced at Bobby, who forced a smile. “Sure, Henrik, I’d love to.”

“Great!” Henrik said. “How about you Lucas?”

“I’d like to take Hope,” Lucas said and smirked over in her direction. Noah smiled and nodded.

“Sounds good, babes,” Hope said and turned to Gemma. “We better go get ready!”

Gemma gave Bobby a quick kiss on the check before she followed Hope off to the dressing room. She was not sure how to feel that Henrik had chosen her. Surely, Lucas must’ve said that he was interested. He had said it in front of the other Islanders at the firepit. She was not sure if she felt relieved that Henrik had picked her or not. That was when she remembered that Lucas still had two more dates to pick and it was likely she may be one of them. Would she have the option to refuse going? Did she want to refuse? Things were definitely all heating up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all the people who continue to support me, especially behind the scenes. Huge thank you to Tori who was the biggest help in finally getting a bit of a mood board going for this fic. You're a star!


	12. Dates!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for the new guys to get their first dates. Will Gemma accept when Lucas asks her? She knows she needs to talk to Bobby, but the villa seems to be very good at getting in the way of conversations. She can only hope that it can all wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've updated the rating and the tags on this. There's no longer eventual smut, so proceed with that in mind! Thank you all for being patient on this journey with me, I promise we have a ways to go still.
> 
> Edited because Kat was confused: there will be smut in this chapter and going forward 😂

Gemma and Hope had ridden over to the dates in a jeep together, which Gemma was internally thankful for. In the short time they had already been in the villa, Hope had become such an incredible friend. She was supportive and understanding. Some of the others got annoyed with Hope for how much she pushed her and Noah being a power couple. But, Gemma understood it was largely driven by Hope’s own insecurities. They almost had a lot in common that way. Hope masked her insecurities by projecting a louder image of a girl who was always in charge while Gemma masked hers in friendliness and a little mystery of a girl you could not ever get too close to.

The jeep came to a stop and the girls stepped out to see two tables set up in an open, grassy area, with the mountains off in the distance. It was truly a beautiful view. Hope gave Gemma’s hand a squeeze and smiled as she walked over to greet Lucas. With a deep breath, Gemma turned off to walk towards Henrik who had stood to greet her. He was all smiles as he kissed her cheek and pulled out her chair for her.

“This is beautiful,” Gemma said and looked around.

“It is, isn’t it?” Henrik asked.

“It’s the first time I’ve been out of the villa,” Gemma said.

“Really? I figured you and Bobby would’ve won that challenge yesterday,” Henrik said and Gemma smiled.

“We tied with Hope and Noah.”

“What happened to dinner?”

“We let them have it, Bobby and I already had a date.”

“Not out of the villa.” Henrik raised an eyebrow as Gemma smiled and shrugged.

“No, but I’m out of the villa now, so all’s well that ends well?” Gemma glanced towards the bottle of wine.

“Oh! Shall we?” Henrik reached for the bottle to uncork it.

“I’ll never say no to a glass of wine.”

Gemma held out her glass as Henrik poured first for her and then for himself. She had been surprised that he asked her, but was actually kind of glad for the chance to get out of the villa in such a casual way. He may have been interested, she was not really sure. In any case, she knew that he would be good for the villa. There was a calm, ease about him one moment and then he was cracking jokes the next.

There had been a moment’s worry where Gemma thought that Henrik would be one of those outdoorsy guys that only could talk about the outdoors, like Rocco with his ridiculous stories about his food truck. Henrik talked about how much he loved being outside, and it showed with his tanned skin, but then he also talked about other interests in reading and movies. He asked about her favorite books, something she had not talked about yet, and listened intently before sharing his own. Gemma was curious about what kinds of things he and Lucas had seen on TV. Henrik chuckled and told her that she'd have to get to know him a little better before he started spilling secrets. She found she was laughing and completely at ease around him. A small part of her could also think of a guy or two she would be happy to lose for Henrik to get a place here. Not that she wanted to couple with him, but he would be fun to have around.

As the date was ending, Gemma realized she had not even glanced over at Hope and Lucas the entire time. When she did so, she saw Hope leaned back, looking off in the other direction. Everything about her body language looked annoyed and Gemma wondered what on Earth Lucas could have done. Then again, Hope was her best friend in the villa and if he had said anything negative about Gemma, it would be easy to imagine Hope’s reaction. She also knew that Lucas could sometimes rub people the wrong way with the things he said or his personality in general. It would be interesting to hear what Hope had to say. Returning her attention back to Henrik, it was clear the first dates were over and the guys were to prepare for their next dates. Rising from her seat, Gemma gave Henrik a warm smile before walking to join Hope at the waiting Jeep.

The door had barely closed when Hope sighed and rolled her eyes.

“He’s a bit full of himself, isn’t he?” Hope asked and Gemma chuckled.

“A bit.”

“He told me straight off that I’d be better coupled with someone like him than like Noah.” Hope crossed her arms and rolled her eyes again.

“He said what?” Gemma was genuinely confused.

“Yes, he said that someone like him would understand my drive better and that I shouldn’t get caught up on Noah.”

“He was trying hard to get your attention.” Gemma was honestly not sure how she felt about that. She was with Bobby and she was happy, right?

“I’m sorry, babes, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, you’re being silly. Of course I want to know.”

“I was expecting him to bring you up. He said he’s seen all the episodes. He must know we’re close, but he didn't mention you or your history or any of it.”

“Maybe it’s all mind games.” Gemma said this quietly as she looked out the window.

“Would you want to couple with him and give it all another shot?” 

Hope’s question was genuine and Gemma sighed. Usually she would be hesitant to say how she was feeling. There was something just easy about Hope. She was usually so strong herself and so Gemma felt like she could be more herself. Truthfully, though, she was not entirely sure how to answer the question. Would she consider giving it another shot with Lucas? Gemma was not usually one for second chances. When she was done, she was done. Then again, she would not have thought she was someone to go on a reality TV show designed to find love and yet, here she was.

“I don’t know, I guess probably not? I’m happy with Bobby and I had the chance with Lucas. I’m just surprised he acted that way. I can’t blame him, though, you’re gorgeous and I can see you being his type on paper.”

“I’m not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not.” Hope smiled nervously and Gemma chuckled.

“I meant it as a compliment.”

“Well, in any case, it hardly matters. I’m happy with Noah.”

There was something behind the throw away comment that was unspoken. Gemma was not sure what it was. Could Hope be feeling a possible spark with Lucas? Was Gemma okay with it if she was? It was silly to be thinking like that. She had her chance and she had turned him down. Twice, actually. He had just been brought out by production to create extra drama and Gemma had to work to not give them what they wanted.

When they arrived back at the villa, Hope wandered off in search of Noah while Gemma wandered off in search of Bobby. She was hoping that she would get a chance to chat to him before anything else interrupted them. That was the thing about being in the villa, it could mess with your head. It also seemed to have an uncanny way of interrupting important discussions. Well, in that case, the villa probably had some help from the all-seeing producers. 

Bobby was not outside by the pool or in the kitchen. He was also not inside the villa in the living area. She figured she would check upstairs when she heard a giggle coming from the boys’ dressing room. Peeking in, she found Bobby alone and giggling to himself as he rooted around in one of the closets. She leaned against the door frame for a second, waiting to see if he would notice her. After a minute, he looked her way and gave a start.

“You scared me!” Bobby protested, throwing her a pout.

“I was looking for you. What’re you up to?” 

“Can you keep a secret?” 

“Of course.”

“I’m playing a prank.”

“What?” Gemma was sure that she had misheard him.

“Think about it. Half the girls are out on dates and the others are getting ready. The boys are all distracted by you girls going on dates. It’s the perfect time for a prank!”

“Speaking of dates, do you want to hear about mine?” 

“Not right now!” 

Bobby turned back to one of the closets and Gemma frowned. Sure, it was still early days and all that, but she thought that they were both on the same page. If he had been on a date, she would want to know how it had gone. Of course, she would trust him. It was only natural to want to know in this situation. Instead, Bobby was busying himself by switching pants from one closet with that from a suitcase. In seeing some of the shirts from the closet, Gemma guessed that they belonged to Rocco. The other must have belonged to one of the new boys. Lucas was obsessive about keeping everything completely neat, so it seemed the suitcase belonged to Henrik. He quickly finished his work and stepped back.

“All done!” Bobby declared and Gemma frowned. 

“Well, I suppose it’ll do the trick.”

“I admit it’s not my best, but I was short on time to plan.”

“Right.”

“You were saying something?” Bobby looked at her, seeming to sense that something was not right.

“Yeah, I wanted to chat to you about my date and about Lucas…”

“Ah, right.” 

Bobby shifted between his feet uncomfortably. He looked like he would have rather been anywhere else and Gemma could not understand it. Why was he behaving that way? Just as Gemma was about to explain, her phone chimed indicating a text. She glanced down to read it to see that Lucas had invited her on his last date. It was asking if she would join, which seemed to indicate that she had a choice.

“Lucas has asked me to be his final date,” Gemma said and looked over at Bobby for a reaction.

“You’re popular today. The new boys clearly have good taste,” Bobby said.

“I’m not sure I want to go,” Gemma said. Bobby’s face was unreadable. 

“Why not? It’s a chance to get out of the villa. And it’s just a date, it’s not a big deal.” Bobby had put on his typical smile again as he looked at Gemma and it only made her more confused.

“Yeah, but it keeps interrupting us.” Gemma just wanted him to tell her not to go.

“I’ll still be here when you get back. Go enjoy yourself.” Bobby said and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.

Without another word, he was gone from the dressing room and Gemma was utterly confused. She could not help but think that she had misjudged how much he liked her. He seemed like he was almost pushing her into these new guys. What was more, he was pushing her to go on a date with someone that she already had history with. Being okay with the date with Henrik was one thing. Being okay with a date with Lucas seemed entirely different. 

Gemma rode back over to the date location alone. Apparently whoever had just been on the date with Lucas had been asked to be Henrik’s last date, so she was already there. The ride in silence did nothing to help Gemma sort out her thoughts, but thankfully the ride was quick. Soon, she was stepping out again and this time it was Lucas waiting for her. She glanced over at Henrik to see Priya was already seated there. Her eyes moved back to Lucas to find him wearing something relatively standard for him. His white short-sleeved button up had the top few buttons undone and was tucked neatly into his grey shorts. He stood when Gemma approached and gently kissed her cheek before pulling the chair out for her. His gaze lingered on her when he sat and reached for a bottle to pour them a drink. 

“What are you doing here?” Gemma asked, breaking the silence.

“No preamble then?” Lucas asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking at her.

“Come on, Lucas, you knew I was coming on the show and you never mentioned it.”

“I didn’t know I was coming on.”

“What changed?” Gemma took a sip of the wine to give her something to do.

“Does any of that matter? I’m here now.” Lucas carefully dodged the question and Gemma sighed. 

“I thought you thought this show lacked…what did you say? Class?” Gemma waited for a response.

“I may have judged it too harshly.” 

“Are you here to find love or are you here for me?” Lucas smirked at this question of Gemma’s.

“Who says they can’t be one in the same, darling?” Lucas asked and Gemma did not answer for a moment.

Lucas was beautiful and there was no sense in denying it. His hair was perfectly gelled into place and the sharp angle of his cheekbones led down to a perfectly defined jaw. His strong chest muscles peeked out from the buttons left undone on his shirt and you could clearly see his arm muscles. Yes, Lucas was beautiful. And yet, she had walked away for a reason. 

“I thought I was clear the last time we spoke,” Gemma finally said, breaking the silence.

“You were, but then I saw you on this show falling for someone so clearly wrong for you that I figured I’d give it another shot. The producers had already reached out to the physio practice looking for information to use later on in a challenge.”

It all made sense in Gemma’s head now. “Ah, so that’s how they found you.”

“I found it interesting how much of yourself you’ve kept hidden on the show.”

“I wasn’t intending to go through my dating history.”

Lucas chuckled soft and shook his head. “You know that’s not what I meant, darling.”

“It’s only been like a week, they don’t need my whole life story.”

Lucas fixed her with a penetrating stare. His eyes smoldered and she forgot for a second why this was a bad idea. “No, I suppose they don’t. But dancing is very much a part of who you are and you’ve barely mentioned it.”

“Because it’s personal and I just don’t want to make some whole big thing of it right now.” Lucas looked genuinely surprised.

“It is a big thing. Even if you want to be a singer now, it’s still who you are. And you should be proud, not hiding it.” Lucas almost looked reproachful.

“I’m not hiding it.” Gemma rolled her eyes at him. “But this wasn’t meant to be about me, it was meant to be about you.”

“What do you want to know?” Lucas asked.

“Why you’re really here.” Gemma watched for any break in his composure.

“It hurt when you told me you were coming on this show after I’d asked you to be more serious with me and you’d turned me down. Then, when I actually saw you on it, I realized that you were dealing with a lot more than anyone realized, even you. Maybe you won’t give me another chance, but I have to try, right?”

Gemma looked away to avoid facing what he was saying head on. She had poured her soul out to him and he knew a lot of what had happened when she had been with Callum. They had both been drunk, though, and she figured that he would not remember most of it. Truthfully, he had not brought it up again, not directly at least. When he had just looked into her eyes just now, she had seen that he remembered more than he had let on. He still did not know what she had been through before Callum, and that was for the best. It scared her to have someone know as much about her as he did on the show now. She knew that it meant some conversations might have to happen sooner than she would have liked. 

Lucas was not being as pushy as she would have expected him to be. He made a couple comments about Bobby and not being good enough for her, or right for her. Those were things Gemma did not want to hear. She was enjoying the time she had spent with Bobby so far and this was all a process. Lucas did not know everything about her and he was certainly not in the position to let her know who would be best for her. Lucas had said things like that when they were seeing each other as well. He would imply that someone like Gemma was supposed to end up with someone like him. She was moving into an industry with a lot of fancy parties and bright lights. She needed to have someone with her that was every bit her match. The implication that Bobby was not was frustrating. 

"Where do you really see this going, GG," Lucas asked, using a familiar nickname from outside of the villa. It pulled at her heartstrings a bit.

"This show? This thing with Bobby? What do you mean?" Gemma asked.

"You and Bobby."

"I don't know. I like him a lot, he's so different from what I'm used to and it's been nice."

"Different isn't always better."

"And going back to something that didn't work once might make me seem a fool." Gemma cast a meaningful glance at him.

"So, the only reason you don't want to be around me is that you're afraid you'd like foolish?" Lucas asked and smirked when Gemma huffed in annoyance.

"I didn't say that, Lucas."

"I'll take that to mean the door is still open." Lucas smiled at trapping her in his logic.

"I didn't say that either. I'm enjoying getting to know him and I want to keep getting to know him."

"When you miss the butterflies I know you used to feel, let me know. I'm not Callum. I wouldn't hurt you that way."

"And did you try lines on Priya and Hope as well?" Lucas almost looked like she had said exactly what she wanted. But the look was gone in an instant and replaced by his usual expression.

"You girls can compare notes when we're all back."

He was infuriating sometimes. Truthfully, it had been part of what had drawn Gemma to him in the first place. They had established a relationship over years of him working on her various injuries and keeping her from pulling her muscles. People never realized how intimately familiar a physio could become with a patient. There had always been the flirtatious undertones. Gemma was just a flirtatious person and Lucas was easy to talk to during the sessions. But, she reminded herself again, she had called things off for a reason and it was not worth getting seduced down this path again. They spent the rest of the day idly chatting until it was time to head back. 

The girls would be heading back in one car with the boys returning after a minute. Gemma and Priya got into the car and rode mostly in silence. It seemed that Priya had realized Gemma had a lot on her mind and was not keen to disrupt her thoughts. That was something Gemma was thankful for in the moment. 

When Gemma arrived back at the villa, she went off in search of Bobby again. This time, she found him filling up his water bottle in the kitchen and was thankful it had been so easy. His smile was warm and welcoming and she felt safe again. Something about seeing Lucas had put her a little on edge. 

“Welcome back,” Bobby said and leaned down to give her a quick kiss. 

“Let’s go somewhere and chat,” Gemma said and grabbed his hand.

Bobby raised his eyebrows but said nothing as he allowed himself to be led away inside the villa. Gemma figured that it would be easy to be alone at this time of day in the bedroom and so she took him there. She plopped down onto their bed and patted the space beside her.

“Trying to seduce me, are you?” Bobby joked and Gemma swatted his arm playfully.

“I just wanted to talk to you.”

“Aye, but now I want to do this.” 

Bobby leaned in and pressed his lips firmly to Gemma’s, causing her to forget the conversation she wanted to have with him. It was definitely not important now. She had wanted some kind of clarification and this was it. He quickly deepened the kiss and Gemma felt her heartbeat accelerate in response. He had one arm wrapped around her waist and the other firmly holding her face in place against his. Their tongues tangled together and a moan escaped Gemma’s lips. 

At that moment, she could not think about anything other than being close to him. She knew that she needed to talk to him, knew that she needed to tell him about her complicated history with Lucas. He deserved to know before they went too far down this path. It shouldn’t matter and it was in the past. But it was not really that far in the past and now he was here in the villa too. Bobby deserved to have all the information before he made any sort of decision. In that moment, though, she could not bring herself to stop. She could tell him after and it would be fine then too. Nothing changed that quickly. And while that was true, a tiny part of Gemma knew that everything was different in the villa.

Pushing any other thoughts away, she needed to be closer to him and slid over into his lap, one knee on either side of his hips with her hands now on either side of his face. His arms snaked around her lower back, pulling her tighter against him. Bobby’s chest was bare as he was in his bathing suit, but Gemma was in her dress still from the dates. As she slowly started moving against his lap, she felt him start to stiffen beneath her. They were out in the open and anyone could walk in, but that also made it more exciting. Sensing that neither of them wanted to break this, Bobby gathered Gemma in his arms and moved them so she was laying on her back and he was suspended over her. He broke the kiss for a moment to pull the covers over them. 

When his lips met hers again in the darkness, there was an increased sense of need and desire. He started to trail kisses from her jaw, down her neck, to her shoulder, where he slid the strap of her dress off. He kissed his way across her chest and slid the other strap off, allowing the dress to drop and show off that she had not been wearing a bra underneath. The dress had been thin straps and too tight to need a bra. Bobby groaned. Even in the limited light beneath the covers, he was appreciating her breasts. He took one in his mouth, circling his tongue around her nipple and enjoyed the way Gemma moaned and arched up into him. As he moved to give attention to her other nipple, Gemma wrapped her fingers into his hair while her other hand squeezed his arm. She was squirming beneath him. 

Bobby kissed his way back up to her mouth and she immediately deepened it. He could taste the wine on her tongue, but did not think that had been what led to this. After all, they had already been interrupted before. Bobby ran his fingers down her side and allowed his hand to move across her thigh until it was on the inner part of her thigh. Her breathing hitched as Bobby’s finger lightly brushed over the fabric of her pants. She was incredibly turned on and already wet in anticipation of him. He ran his thumb slowly up the fabric along her slit. Gemma broke the kiss to lock eyes with him, as if urging him on. Her normally bright eyes were a deep blue, like the deepest part of the ocean. Her desire was clear.

Taking that as an invitation, Bobby carefully pushed her pants to the side and started to circle her clit slowly with his thumb. Gemma roughly pulled his lips back to hers and began kissing him hard. He did not dare stop kissing her because the kisses were muffling her moans. He loved the way she sounded. Slowly, he slid a finger inside her and felt her clench around him as he started pumping his finger in and out. Bobby had broken the kiss to watch her for a moment as he slid a second finger inside her and she clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle a moan.

“Fuck Bobby, that feels so good,” Gemma managed in a hoarse whisper. 

She pulled his lips back towards hers and he was happy to have her moaning into their kiss. He increased the speed of his fingers and felt her writhing beneath him. It was the most incredibly feeling. Everything about her felt incredible. She started to meet his movements and he thought that she must be getting close. When she broke the kiss and threw her head back, he kissed down her neck.

“Look at me. I want to see you come,” Bobby said, trying to keep his voice quiet.

Gemma’s eyes snapped open and locked onto his, pupils dilated beyond belief in her pleasure. She bit down hard on her lip to keep quiet and her hands reached for anything they could grab hold of. 

“Fuck, Bobby, I’m so close,” Gemma said and then clapped her hand over her mouth. 

Bobby pumped faster still and soon felt her walls clench around him as another moan escaped her lips. Her eyes rolled back as her body started to quake. He leaned down to kiss her as he guided her through her release. After she had come down, he slid his fingers out and rolled over to lay beside her. He pulled the cover down to get some air. It had gotten very hot under there.

“Holy hell, that was…” Gemma seemed lost for words.

“Incredibly sexy.” Bobby leaned over and kissed her forehead.

“I think I owe you though…” Gemma raised an eyebrow and slowly trailed her hand down his chest.

Apparently, the villa did not want this to continue. Somewhere outside there was a shout. “Guys! I’ve got a text!”

Gemma rolled her eyes at Bobby as she retracted her hand and began to straight her dress, pulling the straps back into place. This was now to be continued. And so was the conversation she still knew they needed to have. Bobby gave her another kiss as she got out of bed and said he would be out in a minute. That was fine, she wanted to change her pants before going outside to see the other Islanders.

As was becoming the norm around here, the important conversation would have to wait until later. What was in store next?


	13. Welcome to the Villa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dates are over for the new boys and it's time for their welcome party. Gemma starts to address her past with Lucas with Bobby and ends up giving everyone a taste of her past as a dancer. But, Bobby can't help but wonder, is Gemma as over her past as she says that she is?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for continuing to read. This chapter was harder than I thought it would be, so I hope you all enjoy it!
> 
> This day wasn’t meant to be 3 chapters but here we are haha

Gemma was the first to join the group of Islanders with Bobby turning up not too far behind her. Something about her must have looked somewhat off because she saw Hope raise an eyebrow while smirking, but thankfully Hope remained silent. Everyone had gathered and Lottie cleared her throat.

_“Islanders, tonight after dinner you’ll be hosting a welcome party for our new additions. #dresstoimpress #welcometothejungle”_

“A welcome party for us?” Henrik asked.

“Looks like it,” Noah said and Henrik smiled.

Everyone broke into separate conversations and Gemma braced herself, knowing that this was probably a good time for her to chat with Bobby. Hopefully he would still be in a good mood from earlier and things would be able to go smoothly. Just as she was opening her mouth to ask Bobby for a chat, her phone went off and she had been summoned to the Beach Hut.

_Great._

Gemma whispered to Bobby that she was off as requested and gave him a peck on the cheek. She had not noticed that Lucas was watching the interaction with interest. As much as she sometimes hated the Beach Hut, she had known it would be coming after the dates, especially with the addition of Lucas. In some ways, he was much more of a bombshell that they’d thrown in than Priya. With a sigh, she settled herself onto the chair and looked ahead at the screen.

_So let’s start at the easy place, what do you think of Henrik?_

That was certainly the easier place to start. “Oh, Henrik seems great. I don’t think he’s someone I’d be interested in as more than friends, but I think he’ll be great to have in the villa. He seems full of energy but also just a really sound person. I reckon we could use someone like him.”

_Did the date not go well? What makes you think you wouldn’t be interested in him?_

“I’ve got rather a lot on my plate already, haven’t I?” Gemma asked and chuckled. “He just doesn’t quite seem my type. The date was much better than I would’ve expected. Even still, there just aren’t any sparks there.”

_Were you surprised to see Lucas this morning?_

For a moment, Gemma just frowned at the screen. She knew that she had to be careful about what she said next but was also not entirely sure how to be careful. What did they expect her to say? They knew she was surprised. They knew she did not know he was coming on.

“I was shocked. I’d run into Lucas before coming on the show and told him I was coming on. He didn’t mention any interest in it then, which I guess he probably didn’t have any interest. When Hope told me this morning that there was someone outside wanting to meet me, I just assumed it was some new person I didn’t already know.”

_How did you feel the date went?_

It was a fair question but it was another question that Gemma really was not sure she had an answer to. How had it gone? How had she expected it to go?

“I mean, it’s a bit awkward, isn’t it? Because I wasn’t expecting to see him and I’m coupled with someone else, who I do really like. Lucas was always fun on our dates, though. Granted, he can’t pick the date as much here as he would outside of the villa. I don’t know, I guess it was good. I’m sure him and I have things to talk about still. I’m still not entirely sure why he’s here.”

_How would you feel if he were here for you?_

“Erm, I’m not sure. I guess it would be sweet, but at the same time, I kind of, like, feel I’ve been there already. And it was over before I came on the show. It was over for a reason. I tend to give people too many chances, but when I’m done, I’m done. I don’t tend to go back after I’ve decided that I’m done.”

Gemma had to answer more questions that mostly centered around Lucas and her prior relationship with him. She was struggling to tread carefully while also letting the public see enough of her to really get invested in her. It was a fine line. She had not even spoken to Bobby about it yet, which she did still know she needed to. Then again, there were only so many ways they could ask her the same questions, trying to get a different response before they hopefully gave up.

When Gemma finally emerged from the Beach Hut session, she found that Bobby was in the kitchen cooking with Lottie and Priya as his sous chefs. If they were all making dinner, it was definitely not the time to interrupt to have a serious chat. Besides, having a good dinner would be important before a welcome party. Any sort of party was surely code for having the drinks flowing more freely. Everything happening certainly called for Gemma to have a drink or five.

Hope was sitting on the edge of the pool with her legs dangling in and playfully splashed Noah in the shallow end as Gemma watched. Noah looked up at that moment to see Gemma watching them and waved her over. She was thankful to have some friendly faces to join. Glancing over her shoulder, Hope smiled when she saw that it was Gemma that Noah was waving over.

“Let me guess,” Hope said as Gemma sat down beside her. “They wanted to know about your date?”

“Well, they wanted to know about both but seemed much more interested in the date with Lucas.”

“Not surprising since they definitely brought him in here for you.” Hope glanced over at her friend again.

“Who else did Henrik take on a date aside from Priya and me?”

“Lottie,” Noah answered immediately.

“No dates for Marisol then?” Gemma was amused.

“Doesn’t look like it, but I still don’t think that’s good for Gary,” Hope observed.

“Have you talked to Bobby yet?” Noah asked looking at Gemma. She sighed.

“No, I haven’t been able to,” Gemma said.

“Priya said you ran off when you two got back from the last dates and then we didn’t see you until Lottie got that text,” Hope said and smirked at her friend.

“Oh, erm, well I did go to find Bobby, we just, erm, didn’t get to talking about Lucas,” Gemma stammered and Noah chuckled.

“I walked by the bedroom and it didn’t sound like there was any talking going on at all,” Noah said and Gemma went scarlet.

“Noah!” Gemma said and kicked water at him with her leg. Hope burst into a fit of giggles, leaning forward to her knees.

“He’d told me just before you and Bobby came out to hear the text,” Hope said and Gemma buried her face in her hands.

“I hate this place, there’s no privacy!” Gemma moaned.

“We manage okay,” Hope said and Noah went red as well.

“To much information, you two,” Gemma said, but they all laughed.

Hope’s phone dinged and she consulted it. “Looks like I’m wanted in the Beach Hut now, lucky me!”

“Can’t be worse than mine,” Gemma commented.

“True. Okay, I’m off, don’t say terrible things about me while I’m gone,” Hope said and winked at Gemma and Noah before strolling off to the Beach Hut.

“So, how were your dates really?” Noah asked, pulling himself out of the pool and walking over to the chair where he had placed his towel.

“They were fine, I guess. I just really want to speak to Bobby about Lucas and we haven’t had the chance yet.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine. Everyone can see how much he fancies you.”

“I suppose.” Gemma sighed and looked over to the kitchen where Bobby was laughing with Priya and Lottie while they cooked.

“Unless you’re having second thoughts?” Noah watched Gemma as she turned to look back at him.

“No, it’s not that, it’s just…this place messes with your head a bit, doesn’t it?”

They were only a week in and there should not have been feelings forming the way that they were. Gemma had seen the previous seasons and watched as former Islanders talked about how much more intense it was being in the villa. It had not seemed possible. That is, it had not seemed possible until she was in the villa and experiencing it all for herself. Then, they had added in someone that Gemma had history with and she knew they were testing her.

Was it weird that Bobby was so close with all of the other girls? He was relatively friendly with Gary and she could definitely see him being friends with Henrik, but he was not really close with the other guys. Gemma had also never been the type of person to try and restrict her boyfriend from being friends with anyone. She had been in relationships where someone she was dating tried to tell her not to be friends with other boys. _We’re not even in a relationship_ , Gemma reminded herself. She liked Bobby, things were going well, everything was good. The producers threw wrenches into the mix for drama and ratings.

“What do you miss most about the outside?” Noah’s unexpected question caught Gemma by surprise and broke her out of her internal monologue.

“What?”

“You know, what do you miss from before the villa?”

“You first.” Gemma wanted to buy herself some time before she answered and see what Noah would say.

“My little brother and sister.” He answered without hesitation. “I’ve never really been away from them for any extended period of time, so this is weird. I miss them more than I thought I would.”

“You helped raise them, didn’t’ you?” Noah’s eyes gleamed at her question.

“I did. I get so proud watching them grow up.”

“I miss my sister and my nephews, too, but I suppose it’s not the same. I’m used to going a lot longer without seeing them.”

“Still, missing family is tough.” Noah did not press as to why Gemma was so used to going longer without seeing her family and it was so refreshing. He never pressed about anything and yet, Gemma knew that he had realized she was holding bits of herself back.

“I miss being able to be creative too. Like, I want to write all my own songs and I’m weirdly inspired in here with all the down time, but it’s also hard.”

“I’m not creative enough for that.” Noah’s face fell a bit and Gemma smiled at him.

“You’re probably good at loads of things I’m not though. It all evens out.”

“Are you going to sing for us before you leave?” Gemma looked away from his questioning gaze and blushed.

“I’m really weird about singing for people in, like, small settings like this. I know it sounds stupid.” Gemma hated admitting things like that.

“I doesn’t sound stupid at all.”

Gemma was thankful that the conversation steered away from her singing or any other creative outlets. Part of her wanted to sit in silence because it was comfortable, but the other part did not want to be left with her own thoughts. By the time Hope returned, it was getting closer to being time to eat and people were all starting to wander over to the kitchen towards the delicious smells.  
  


————————————————————

After dinner the girls hurried off upstairs to their dressing room to get ready. There was a buzz and a lot of excitement. They all knew that with seven boys and five girls currently residing in the villa, it would definitely not be the girls at risk for going home next. That let them be a little more comfortable. Even Gemma was excited, despite the appearance of Lucas that morning. A party sounded like a good way for them to all wind down.

Gemma selected a white halter dress that hit her mid-thigh and was covered in rows of fringe, which swayed appealingly with every swish of her hips. Hope smirked appreciatively as Gemma selected some jewelry to go with the outfit. Her hair fell around her face and down her back in loose curls that she could not have gotten away with during the heat of the day.

As they made their way to join the boys, Gemma caught sight of Bobby and felt her heart flutter. It was the most at ease she had felt since walking out and seeing Lucas on the lawn. She knew that it was the perfect time to chat with him. She unwound her arm from Hope’s and wandered over to Bobby. When he saw her approaching, a genuine smile spread across his lips as he took Gemma in. There was something about the way she moved that he could not seem to place. It was as if she were gliding and her hips swaying all at once.

“Do you have a minute?” Gemma asked.

“For you, always,” Bobby responded and watched as she smiled back.

Gemma reached out her hand and Bobby interlocked his fingers with hers as they headed off in the direction of the daybeds for a little privacy. It was difficult for Gemma to position herself with such a short dress, but ultimately figured it was dark and they were alone. And after the afternoon they’d had, being modest kind of seemed like overkill.

“Should I be worried?” Bobby’s browed knitted as Gemma fiddled with the hem of her dress.

“No, no of course not, we just haven’t really had a chance to speak about Lucas.”

“Ah, right.”

  
“I do know him and we did date for a short while.” Gemma hesitated and Bobby grabbed her hand.

“I try not to be the jealous type and I know usually you wouldn’t expect to hear someone’s history so soon…” Bobby trailed off and Gemma sighed.

“But my history just walked in here looking like he’s just left a photoshoot.”

“Right.” Bobby looked a little down.

Gemma reached a finger out to tilt his head up so that she could press a kiss lightly to his lips. Gently, she pulled away before either of them could deepen it. She had never been so drawn to someone physically.

“I tend to be a bit closed off, but with Lucas in here now, I guess I don’t quite have that option to open at my own pace.”

“I don’t want you to feel pressured.” Bobby squeezed Gemma’s hand in a reassuring way.

“I know you don’t, but I can only imagine it’ll come out eventually, either from him or in some silly challenge, so I’d rather just tell you…well, enough that you’ll know.”

Bobby looked confused and she sighed again. She was absolutely terrible at opening up this way. It was crazy to think she was essentially being forced to talk about a bit of herself just with the appearance of a new, not so new to her, Islander.

So, Gemma launched into the story of how she had been a competitive dancer and had won several titles in Latin Ballroom. It was clear he wanted to ask about it and possibly even wanted to ask to see her dance. He remained a good audience, however, and listened as she spoke. Bobby could not understand why Gemma did not want to scream from the rooftops that she was a champion ballroom dancer. That seemed like the kind of thing anyone would want to share. Then again, he did not realize how much of the latter part of her career was marred by fights with Callum. It had taken some of the enjoyment out of dancing and she was not really ready to address that relationship in the villa and on camera.

Her background as a dancer had been crucial for her leading into how she had met Lucas and how they had ended up dating for a bit before the villa. As she was talking, Bobby was internally trying to come to terms with the fact that this had not been a relationship in the distant past. This had only ended a few months before she had come on the show. And if he was understanding Gemma, this had only ended because Lucas wanted something more serious and Gemma was not ready to commit to that. While she assured Bobby that she was now ready to be more serious about someone, that left Bobby a little uneasy. Now she was ready to be serious and magically Lucas had reappeared? Bobby worked to plaster the smile back on his face as she shared her story.

“Is it over?” Bobby asked. He was not sure he wanted the answer but he had to ask.

“Yes, it’s over.” Gemma had not really hesitated. Bobby was not sure what to make of it.

“Look, lass, I like you, but I don’t want to be in the way…” Bobby was not sure why he was saying that.

“Babes, no, it’s not like that.” Gemma paused and seemed to be searching for her words.

“I want you to know that I’m not coming at this because of there being new boys.” Bobby also was not sure what to say next.

“Okay, so it’s like, I’m so surprised to see him here. I never expected that I would walk out of the villa this morning and see someone who’s part of my past, especially such a recent part.”

“I imagine that was tough.” Bobby admitted and tried not to hang his head.

“But, that’s just it, right? Like, I did care about Lucas, he’s not a bad person, he’s just not…I don’t know, he’s just not what’s right for me.” Bobby was trying not to brighten up at that.

“Lass, have you seen him? I think he’s everyone’s type.” Bobby and Gemma both laughed.

“First Rahim and now Lucas, Bobby I’m starting to wonder if you’re here for us girls or for the boys.” Gemma had caused them both to laugh again.

“Busted again.”

“No, but really, I don’t regret dating Lucas. It was exactly what I needed right then. That’s a lesson we all learn, though, and it’s that some people just come into your life to help you through something.” Gemma was serious as her eyes met Bobby’s and he saw only honesty and vulnerability in that moment.

“I don’t want to ask this, but even after the date? You’re not considering going back to him?” Bobby asked and Gemma shook her head.

“I want to get to know you, I’m all in on that. That’s just kind of how I am, though. I’m focused on this. Right now, you’re my priority.”

Bobby wished that she had not said that last sentence. It left him to interpret if that meant that she could possibly be swayed. But, that was surely only his own insecurities talking. He had given her an out to get out of this if she wanted to. He had asked more than once. Gemma had said she wanted to be in this and what else could Bobby do? It was what he wanted too and he was already feeling something for this girl. Even though it had only been such a short time, Gemma was connecting with him in a way that he could not remember experiencing before.

With that, Bobby leaned forward to give her a soft kiss before reaching out his hand to help her up. They joined the group over by the bar and found that Ibrahim had invented some sort of cocktail named after his favorite superhero. They were late to the party, but it appeared it was on the hot side and Gary could not handle spice. Lottie had declared it was not that bad, but asked for a glass of milk to take to Gary to help him settle it down.

Gemma had a pleasant buzz from the drinks that night and she was getting restless. She was not used to sitting down and being so still. She was used to always moving whether it was traveling for competitions or competing or rehearsing for the next competition. Here, all they had to do all day was lay out, chat, graft, and compete in the occasional competition. As the music started to play, Gemma drifted toward the middle of the lawn, just wanting to move and not caring if the other Islanders watched or what they thought.

Slowly, Gemma got lost in the music, moving her body in time with the steady beat. It was not long before Hope had joined her on the dance floor and the other Islanders followed. Several of them were gushing over the way Gemma moved. Marisol seemed surprised that someone may move in a more sultry way than the “Spanish girl who can Salsa.” Some of the boys were watching Gemma’s hips move back and forth looking mesmerized. Sweat began to build as the songs changed tempos and Gemma continued to move with them. It was a good kind of sweat though. People were talking around her, but she was hardly paying attention. It was the most comfortable she had felt since stepping out of the Jeep on the first day. As the tempo picked up in a new song, Gemma felt a hand on her lower back and a voice broke into her trance.

“May I have this dance?” Lucas asked, somehow speaking low despite the music.

Gemma’s eyes found his and he was almost smirking at her. Of course, he really knew the extent of her ability as a dancer. For his part, he was actually a pretty decent dancer as well. He had grown up in private schools, a part of the higher society social circles, where boys were expected to learn how to dance. Although everything about him looked suave, Gemma had still been surprised the first time they went dancing and he had done so well in following her lead. But, this was different. He was here seemingly trying to steal her from Bobby, who was not far away.

“Oh, um, I’m not sure,” Gemma started and looked towards Bobby with her eyes wide.

“Of course,” Lucas said and looked over to Bobby. “So rude of me. Would it be okay if I asked your partner to dance?

To anyone who did not know Lucas, it would have seemed like a polite and thoughtful question. To Gemma, however, she knew that it was merely to make him seem like a good guy. He knew that Bobby could not really say no in the moment and that Lucas almost saw it as a challenge.

“If it’s okay with her, it’s fine with me,” Bobby answered and forced a smile.

Lucas reached for Gemma’s hand and she took it after another reassuring glance at Bobby. He immediately lifted his arm to spin her and it created space for the two of them as the other Islanders stepped back. Something came over Gemma when she had a dance partner like this. She spun under his arm and pulled their hands to the back of her neck, leaning in before rolling her body back and popping one foot out behind her. That was it. With a partner who could at least moderately keep up and a quicker beat, Gemma had to dance. The producers had obviously chosen this track with Gemma in mind as it was easy to dance to. She spun around with Lucas, sometimes dancing with her body pressed against his.

The heavy beat intoxicated her as she remembered why she had loved dancing so much in the first place. It had gotten tainted at the end of her relationship with Callum because he was always jealous of time she spent away, especially if she was training. This came despite her reassurances that she would never consider crossing a line with a dance partner. As she danced with Lucas, she almost danced circled around him, but he still managed to keep up as he always had. She directed his hands to trace up her sides, starting at her mid thigh, and vaguely heard the whistles from the other Islanders. And as she showed off her incredible footwork in time with the beat, she wondered what Marisol would think of the skill. Gemma had never been one to show off. So often she had danced in competitions rather than just for fun. Now, she could show off those talents that she held back because they just did not fit in the competition rules. She was dancing close to Lucas, sometimes only using his body as a prop, and in that moment, she was not thinking about how anyone else might take it.

What Gemma had not realized was that Lucas was using this as an opportunity to show off her moves. Although she had not talked about it on the show, everyone watching at home had immediately searched her and found her videos. There were already memes going around of her in costume for various competitions with both men and woman drooling over her and her moves. She may not have wanted to get too far into it yet, but it was a matter of time. Lucas also knew that in order to get her to dance the way she was now, carefree and uninhibited, she needed a partner. Nobody else had seemed up to the task.

As they danced, Bobby watched on and worry came over him again. He had not been able to say no to Lucas when he asked to dance with Gemma. How would it have looked if he had said no? Now he was wishing he had. Gemma had mentioned dancing and whatever Bobby had pictured, it was nowhere near this. Her hips moved back and forth and pressed against Lucas, who seemed to be loving the closeness. Bobby was not sure if Gemma was even aware of all the Islanders watching her, mostly cheering her on.

Bobby tried not to be jealous and it was being tested as he watched the two of them move. He tried to keep his smile plastered on his face. The other Islanders were enjoying the show. Even Hope did not appear to be concerned about anything Gemma was doing. She was not worried about her friend and she liked Gemma with Bobby, so he should not be worried either, right? Gemma had just told him that Lucas was in the past and that she was not looking to revisit it.

Lucas and Gemma kept at the dance for several songs before Gemma broke off, saying she needed a break to catch her breath. She made a joke about being out of shape since she had stopped dancing, to which Lucas responded that he couldn’t tell. Gemma smiled at Lucas and thanked him for the dance as Hope squealed and pulled her friend off toward the kitchen. Lucas watched her walk, seeming like he could not see anyone but her. Even as Hope lead Gemma away, she looked over her shoulder and smiled at Lucas. She had not looked over to Bobby since asking for his permission for the dance. Had Bobby just made a huge mistake?


	14. Secrets Are Coming Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Islanders play a game of Kiss and Tell and learn some interesting facts about each other. What kind of new secrets are we going to learn now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Kat (Redlightsdistrict) and Tori for their help with some of the ideas for the Kiss & Tell secrets. 
> 
> Song inspo: Secret - The Pierces

Gemma woke up happy to find that she did not have any headache or lingering hangover from the party the night before. That was what dancing, and then drinking lots of water, usually did for her. The lights in the communal bedroom had not turned on yet and she wondered what time it was. Next to her Bobby was stretched out, taking up most of the bed. A small smile spread over her lips at the ridiculousness of it all. She never thought she would be so comfortable with someone that slept like that.

Inching herself closer, Gemma snuggled into Bobby’s side and slid her arm over this stomach. Bobby smiled to himself as he stretched and wrapped an arm around Gemma in return. He opened one eye and saw Gemma smiling up at him. His worry from the night before seemed silly when he was curled up with her like this. He kissed the top of her head and she only cuddled closer to him, seeming to be completely content. Gemma looked back up and scooted so that her face was up closer to his.

“Maybe we should hop in the shower before everyone else wakes up and the place gets crowded,” Gemma whispered, her breath raising goosebumps on Bobby’s skin.

Bobby’s eyes went wide and he swallowed hard as Gemma traced her fingers down his bare chest to his stomach. She innocently looked up at him from under his lashes and he did not trust himself to speak out loud. He just nodded and Gemma smiled in return. Pressing a finger to her lips, she slipped out of the bed and grabbed his hand as he did the same.

The lights remained off as the two quietly exited the bedroom and headed for the bathroom. Gemma gently nudged Bobby into the bathroom before her and closed the door behind him. When she turned around, Bobby’s lips immediately crashed on her own as she found herself pressed against the bathroom door. She wound her hands around his neck and he gripped her hips.

Gemma wound one of her hands into Bobby’s hair and pulled his head back slightly to break their kiss. He looked at her with confusion plain in her eyes until she placed a kiss on his jaw and started to kiss her way down his neck. Bobby gripped her hips harder and pressed her body into his own. She could feel that he was hardening, or maybe he had woken up already ready to go. Removing a hand from Gemma’s hip, Bobby pulled her back up to kiss her hard. Gemma moved her own hands to the straps of her nightie, letting it fall without breaking the kiss. As Bobby felt the silk fabric move, he stepped back for a second to take Gemma in. This was the first time he was seeing her without anything on and his breath caught in his throat.

He had not thought that it was possible to think she was more beautiful than he already thought she was. Now, here was this angel, standing before him, somehow looking sexy and sweet all at the same time. He let his eyes travel from the hollow of her neck, over her perfect breasts, to the curve of her hips, and her strong thighs. That was it. He was in trouble. This girl was perfect and seemingly so comfortable in her skin. She stepped forward and leaned up to kiss him gently and she slid her hands down his sides, inside the fabric of his pajama bottoms. Part of him felt a little nervous being exposed like this, but he wanted to allow Gemma to do it.

“You’re so beautiful,” Bobby sighed, letting his eyes travel over Gemma again.

“So are you, babe,” Gemma said. There was nothing but honestly behind her vibrant blue eyes.

Gemma carefully grabbed Bobby’s hand and pulled him toward the shower. She turned for a second to turn on the water and Bobby looked down to check out Gemma’s round ass. As she was feeling if the water was warm, Bobby put his hands on her hips again and pulled her back against him, leaning in to kiss behind her ear. She shivered under his touch and he continued to trail open mouthed kisses down her neck. He went to slid his hand from her hip down her front when Gemma spun in his arms.

“Not yet, babe.” Gemma was slightly on tiptoes to whisper into his ear.

She stepped backwards into the shower and he followed, not able to take his eyes off of her as the water started to cascade over her skin. He swallowed hard again as Gemma reached for the body wash and put some right into her hand. Rubbing her hands together, the body wash became soapy and Gemma began to rub it over Bobby’s chest. He had no idea something so simple would drive him crazy like this.

Gemma carefully pushed Bobby back so that the water was running down his body, washing away the bubbles. He grabbed her roughly and backed her against the wall of the shower, pinning her there. As he started to kiss her again, Gemma reached her arm down to start slowly stroking him. He moaned into her mouth at the pressure and broke the kiss again. He began kissing down her neck again, softly nipping at her and earning a moan as his reward.

Instead of allowing him to continue, Gemma used her free hand to lift his chin back up and kissed him lightly before sinking to her knees, eyes on him the entire time. Still watching him, she took hold of his cock and ran her tongue up the length slowly, swirling her tongue around the tip. Bobby put a hand onto the shower wall for balance and let his eyes fall closed as she ran her tongue up his shaft again. His eyes popped back open as she took just the tip into her mouth. He pulled her now wet hair out of her face and gathered it into one of his hands.

“Fuck,” Bobby whispered, almost turning it into a moan as Gemma hollowed her cheeks to suck him in.

He had to put his hand out again to steady himself as she began to bob on him. He watched his cock disappear into her mouth. As he felt himself hit the back of her throat, he moaned again. He used to being the one who made someone else feel good, so this was coming as a surprise. The water continued to roll down his shoulders but he barely noticed as Gemma picked up her speed. Bobby began to guide her head and thought she would have smirked by the look in her eyes.

As good as it felt to watch Gemma’s cheeks suck in and feel himself deep in her throat, he did not want to finish this way. He carefully pulled himself out of her mouth and she looked confused for a second. Bobby pulled her up and kissed her hard, reaching his hand between the two of them to slide a finger across her entrance.

“I want to feel myself inside of you,” Bobby said. Gemma was surprised how low his voice had gotten.

“Is that so?” Gemma quipped back.

“Turn around.” There was no question in it and Gemma found it turned her on.

Gemma turned around and Bobby bent her over. She had her hands on the wall in front of her while he did so. He spread her legs a little wider and slide a finger inside her. Gemma knew that he would feel that she was ready for him. Carefully, he placed himself behind her and slid in slowly, trying to give her a chance to adjust. But, Gemma did not want to waste any time and she pushed herself back onto him, taking all of him in at once.

“Oh my god,” Gemma moaned.

She felt Bobby grip her hips and slowly start thrusting. Gemma arched her back so that he could get a better angle and she moaned out loudly as he thrust all the way in. Leaving one of her hands on the wall of the shower, she used the other to rub her clit.

“Harder, Bobby, please,” Gemma begged and Bobby immediately picked up his speed. “Yes!”

Gemma was pushing herself back to meet Bobby’s thrusts, knowing that she was not going to last long. She arched her back deeper as Bobby’s hand replaced her own, rubbing her clit. She looked over her shoulder and met his eyes. He groaned in pleasure at being able to lock eyes with her. Her head dropped again as his thrusts started to get more erratic.

“I’m so close, Bobby, please,” Gemma begged.

Bobby continued pumping hard into her, pulling himself almost all the way out each time. She felt her walls tighten around him and her body started to spasm as she found her release.

“Oh god!” Gemma cried.

Bobby’s thrusts continued faster into her release and moments later, he fell over the edge too. Gemma tried to keep herself still as he thrust the last few times. They stayed in that position for a few minutes to catch their breath before Bobby slowly pulled himself out of her.

“Well, fuck,” Gemma said, breaking the silence. “That wasn’t a bad way to wake up.”

Bobby could only chuckle as she turned around and ran her hands up his arms until they were behind his neck. He wrapped his own arms around her and pulled her close, kissing her softly. They broke apart and quickly washed themselves off before stepping out and grabbing towels.

Gemma left the bathroom first to head for the dressing room and it was clear the lights were on. Some of the Islanders were starting to filter out already. She stepped quickly. With any luck, nobody would have heard them in the shower. There was at least a better chance than if they had stayed in the bedroom. It wasn’t like there was much privacy around here, though.

\---------------------------------------------

The Islanders were all gathered on the challenge stage again, awaiting the instructions for the Kiss and Tell challenge. Just based off the title, it seemed like there was some kissing headed their way. Just what they all needed with the introduction of two new boys and with so many of the Islanders on edge. This is exactly what the show was supposed to do, though, test the relationships in every way imaginable.

Hope got the text and read out the instructions. It was set up to be a boys vs. girls challenge. Apparently, the little envelopes taped to the floor of the challenge stage held secrets about the Islanders. Starting with the girls, one of them would select an envelope, read out the secret, then try to figure out which boy had done it. Then they would switch, with the boys trying to guess the girls’ secrets. At the end of the game, whoever had the most points would earn a cocktail party. Another text informed Hope that she was up first.

She strode confidently forward and selected an envelope, ripping it open. “I need to find the boy who…once dated a Russian girl, who it turned out was very into whips and chains, among other things we won’t mention.”

Some people’s eyes went wide at the revelation, while others looked interested to know who had gotten up to that. The girls circled up close to discuss, but Gemma had a feeling that she already knew.

“I could kind of see Noah being into that,” Marisol ventured. “You never know with those quiet types.”

“He’s not brought up anything like that with me,” Hope disagreed.

“We’re only, like, a week in, he might not,” Priya said.

“It’s Lucas,” Gemma said with a sigh and found four sets of eyes on her. “He mentioned it once, we didn’t get too into it.”

“You’re sure?” Hope asked and Gemma nodded.

“Yeah, they dated for a bit a few years ago, I think it was. And I’m pretty sure he was way more into it than he’s going to admit here,” Gemma said.

“I’m kinda into it now that I’m hearing about it,” Priya mused and Gemma giggled.

“Shall I see if he still has her number?” Gemma asked.

“Cheeky!” Priya said and nudged the younger girl.

“So, I’m kissing Lucas? Is that okay?” Hope asked, studying Gemma who shrugged.

“I don’t care if you kiss him,” Gemma responded.

The girls broke apart, announcing that they had a guess. Hope confidently strode over to Lucas and firmly kissed him. She ended it quickly and glanced over at Noah, who did not seem to have reacted, before rejoining the girls.

“Okay, we all have to know, was Hope right?” Priya asked and Lucas glanced at Gemma first.

“She was and that girl was incredible,” Lucas said.

“We’ve got to hear that story later, mate,” Gary enthused.

Noah was up first for the boys and Ibrahim nudged him forward to pick an envelope. He seemed unsure, glancing at Hope, who only smiled. He picked an envelope and carefully opened it, seeming surprised.

“Oh,” he said. “I need to find the girl who’s already been on a reality show before coming on Love Island.”

There were whispers and little giggles from several of the Islanders. Gemma could not avoid meeting Bobby’s eyes and seeing him smirk at her. He remembered. The boys circled up to discuss and she wondered if he would try to convince them or if he would just let it play out a different way.

“Okay ladies, who’s already been on a reality show?” Lottie asked as soon as the boys were distracted.

“I can see it being Priya,” Marisol offered and Priya rolled her eyes, but Hope was looking at Gemma.

“It was Gemma, wasn’t it?” Hope asked and Gemma tried not to blush, thankful that she had her back to the boys.

“Erm, yeah actually,” Gemma said and looked down.

“What show?” Hope asked, trying to keep her voice down but she was clearly interested.

“Well…” Gemma started.

“Okay, ladies, we’ve decided!” Bobby called and Gemma knew he’d told them.

“That was fast,” Lottie said as the went back to standing in line.

Noah glanced back at Bobby who laughed and nodded. With that, Noah walked straight over to Gemma and planted a soft, quick kiss on her lips. He pulled away and smiled at Gemma before turning away.

“Oh, come on, that was barely even PG!” Bobby called out.

“That’s your partner, mate,” Ibrahim chuckled.

“I know, but it’s a game, and I like when we get a point,” Bobby said.

“He was pretty sure he was right,” Gary said, looking over at the girls.

“He was right,” Gemma confirmed and went red.

“Babe, you have to tell us now, what show were you on? It wasn’t another dating show, was it?” Hope asked, making it a bit of a joke, which Gemma was thankful for.

“No, she was on Strictly Come Dancing,” Lucas answered, causing all eyes to shoot to him.

“You knew as well?” Noah asked, seeming to indicate Lucas hadn’t spoken up during the discussion. Lucas only shrugged.

“I thought you had to be famous to be on that show,” Marisol mused and Lucas snorted a little.

“She was one of the professionals, dancers you know?” Lucas asked and smirked at Marisol. “She partnered one of the celebrities.”

“Let’s keep moving, shall we? We can always come back to this,” Hope suggested. “Gemma, you should have the next go.”

“Yeah, sure,” Gemma said and stepped forward to grab an envelope. She was in a bit of a daze. “I need to find the boy who…didn’t have his first proper kiss until he was 17.”

This seemed to amuse nearly everyone, but Gemma blocked out the chatter and glanced down the line of boys. Her eyes came to rest on Bobby last as he looked away and a blush crept over his cheeks.

The girls had all sorts of opinions on who it had not been, including Rocco, Gary, Lucas, and Henrik. They seemed a bit torn on who Gemma should pick, but ultimately agreed that since it was her turn, if she really thought it was Bobby, she should go for it. Gemma strolled over to Bobby, not looking at anyone else.

Bobby’s eyes met Gemma’s and he smiled, somehow seeming relieved. She pulled him against her as he wound his arms around her lower back, tilting her back slightly. For a moment, they forgot they were on a challenge stage instead of back in the shower as they had been that morning. It was hard to break away from the pull she felt towards Bobby. She broke the kiss and heard applause from the other Islanders.

“Hope that was far enough past PG for you,” Gemma said with a wink before sauntering back to the girls’ side.

“Well? Was she right?” Hope prompted.

“Aye, sadly she was, but before ya ask, I’m not telling ya the story,” Bobby said and everyone laughed.

Gemma zoned out a little bit through the next few rounds. She was still thinking about the first secret that had come out about her being on another reality show. It was not like it was really a secret. It came up with you searched Gemma’s name. Still, she had not brought it up in the villa yet and she was worried Bobby would read too much into Lucas knowing about it. It was not like she had told them in the course of the short time they dated. He had known the same way he knew nearly everything else about her. He had been her physio. Before they dated, that had meant that they spent a lot of time together. Why had the producers brought him in? Was there something wrong with the way she was coming across? Or was there a chance she was popular and it was to stir up more drama? Then again, she thought to herself, Bobby could easily be the popular one and Lucas was just brought in to mess with Bobby.

Hope had taken a pole dancing class, which she claimed was good exercise. Ibrahim had spent way too much money on a first date. Noah had broken his arm while trying to ski down a beginning trail. Priya had accidentally sexted her boss, who had the same name as the guy she was seeing at the time. Gary had earned some sort of record for being able to drink the most beer at a local pub. None of the secrets seemed all that exciting in comparison and Gemma was still thinking about hers that had come out. While she was not paying complete attention, she was still trying to weigh in. After all, she was competitive and she wanted to win.

Breaking out of her inner thoughts to the sounds of yelling, Gemma looked up to see Marisol wrapped around Rocco, kissing him far more deeply than the challenge had called for. It was far more deeply that she had even kissed Bobby, and they were coupled up. Lottie was turning red.

“Babes, it’s just a challenge, we can figure this all out la…” Gemma started, but Lottie cut across her.

“I’m being forced to watch these two get off with each other,” Lottie said, fuming.

“Let’s just move on to the next one, we’re almost done,” Bobby suggested.

Rocco selected an envelope for the boys. “I have to find the girl who…ended up with a pet spider after a prank her ex tried to play went horribly wrong.”

Instead of even talking to the other guys, Rocco immediately went towards Marisol and pulled her to him. Nobody knew what to say. It was painfully obvious that the secret had been about Lottie. Who else in this group would possibly keep a pet spider? Marisol ran her nails down Rocco’s arms as he dipped her low. The kiss seemed to go on for ages as their tongues tangled. In the complete silence, the quiet moan that escaped Marisol was somehow amplified.

“Are you kidding?” Lottie finally said. “What are you two doing?!”

At these words, Marisol and Rocco broke apart, but neither looked remotely ashamed. In fact, they were flushed and seemingly pleased with themselves.

“You didn’t even talk to us, mate,” Henrik commented. The other boys all looked uncomfortable.

“I just wanted to guess,” Rocco shrugged.

“In case you were wondering, that was obviously wrong,” Lottie said, looking like she could burn holes through Rocco with her eyes.

“I mean, it any here kept a pet spider, it would definitely be Lottie,” Priya said, surprising some by sticking up for the goth girl.

“Of course it was about me,” Lottie huffed.

“We’re on our last one, girls, Gemma why don’t you do the honors,” Hope said and Gemma sighed.

She stepped forward to select the last envelope. They were in the lead with enough that the last two didn’t matter. But, she was also competitive. “Okay, so I need to find the boy who…” She burst out laughing. “I need to find the boy who once tried to plan a sexy surprise for his girlfriend, only to have her walk into her flat with her parents.”

Everyone laughed at this just because it sounded so ridiculous. It was also hard to guess which of the boys might have been embarrassed in this way. Who really knew what any of them thought was sexy? Before turning to the girls, she glanced across at the boys. It was definitely not Bobby, he was chuckling and saying something to Gary, who was also smiling. Noah and Ibrahim also looked calm, which probably would not be the case if it had been either of them. It did not sound like Rocco’s style. So that just left the two new guys.

“What are you thinking?” Priya asked.

“Who really knows what any of these boys think is a good idea?” Lottie asked with a laugh.

“I think it might be one of the new boys,” Gemma said and glanced back at them.

“I could see that,” Priya agreed.

“We’re already ahead and they can’t catch us, so why don’t you kiss Henrik?” Hope asked.

Gemma sighed in relief and nodded. They broke apart and she cast Bobby a reassuring smile before heading over to kiss Henrik. She placed her hands on either side of his face and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. It was surprisingly more pleasant that she thought it would be.

“Seems like you’re a good guesser,” Henrik said and blushed when Gemma pulled back.

Everyone laughed as they watched him go scarlet and demanded a story. Apparently, he had gotten a friend of the girl he was seeing to let him into her flat, saying he was planning a surprise. When she walked in and turned on the lights, he was naked, comfortably leaned back on the couch, with a rose in his hand. She hadn’t had a chance to say anything before her parents walked in behind her. Henrik apparently had frozen, muttered some sort of apology, and covered himself with the pillow. The best part? He had not even met the parents yet.

“You poor thing,” Priya cooed, but her eyes subtly appraised Henrik in his swimsuit.

“I suppose I’m last then,” Lucas said and stepped forward to pick up a card. “I need to find the girl who…had a little too much fun at a music festival and ended up returning home two weeks later than originally planned.”

Lucas smirked as he let the card fall back to the stage. Gemma was determined to not meet his eyes, which she knew would be on her. It was another thing that Lucas knew about her that nobody else here knew. She looked over to Bobby’s who’s face was unreadable.

“I think it was Gemma,” Lucas announced when he was steps away from her.

She had no choice as she looked to him and met his eyes. They were alight with mischief and joy at his luck for having picked this card. Placing one hand on Gemma’s lower back and one on her cheek, he pulled her in and met her lips. For a second, Gemma reverted back to when they had been together. Kissing him had always been electric. The physical side had never been the issue. But then, she remembered that this wasn’t while they were dating, she was in the villa now. Gemma placed her hands on his chest and gently pushed him back. He was smiling at her like he knew a secret.

“Erm, was he right?” Hope asked to break the tension.

“Course I was right, I know the story,” Lucas said and smirked over at Hope before walking back to the guys.

“He knows the story?” Bobby asked and shook his head. “Never mind, of course he does.”

“It’s not like that,” Gemma pleaded. “I literally can’t talk about it beyond saying I’d gone to a music festival, met a group of people, and decided to go on vacation with them for a couple weeks after the festival. And Lucas only knows because he knew me at the time.”

“Look, this has been kind of an intense one,” Noah said and looked from Gemma and Bobby to Gary and Marisol to Rocco and Lottie. “I think we should all take some time and cool off.”

“Well said, babe,” Hope said and her phone beeped. “I’ve got a text!”

“Ladies, since you won today’s challenge, you’ll be treated to cocktails tonight. #girlsontop #cheers!”

The atmosphere, which had lightened when Henrik’s secret was revealed, was tense again. Bobby was trying not to look cross at Gemma, but he was frustrated. How did Lucas just know everything about her? Was it truly only because Lucas had known her outside of the villa? Or was there still something going on? It was so hard to get a clear read on anything while in the villa.

Similarly, Lottie and Gary were both refusing to look at Rocco or Marisol. Rocco and Marisol, however, looked like they had done nothing wrong. The Islanders all started to disperse back to the villa and Gemma paused to look back at Bobby. Ibrahim appeared to be checking on both him and Gary, though, so there did not seem to be much point in going to talk about it all now.

How did the producers even get ahold of that secret? Gemma had gone to the second weekend of Coachella in the United States with some friends and had found herself in a VIP party. In the haze of drinking and staying up all night that was the weekend, it seemed like a perfectly normal idea to head off on a trip with her newfound friends. But, as one of them was a relatively famous DJ, she was not allowed to talk about anything that had happened that weekend, or on the trip that followed. His manager had been very careful to take care of that. And with Gemma wanting to be in music herself, she was not about to burn a bridge over a reality dating show. She was here to give herself a chance to reset her love life, but that did not mean she was going to violate the prior contract.

Things in the villa had seemingly started pretty easy and without that much drama. Maybe that was what had caused them to drop Lucas in. Gemma had been keeping the peace, but she couldn’t do that with Lucas here and with them determined to out her carefully kept secrets.


	15. Nothing Stays Hidden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the aftermath of the Kiss and Tell, which seems to have left our Islanders feeling a bit frosty. Is one Islander about to get too far into their head and slip up?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song inspo - My Type by Saint Motel
> 
> If anyone is mad, you have Kat (redlightsdistrict) to thank for putting this thought in my head 😂

Gemma was a bit frustrated after the challenge. There seemed like there was just a lot going on. After Marisol and Rocco had put on a show, Gary and Lottie were, understandably, laying low. Things had not been going well in either couple. But, there was a difference between things not going well and using a challenge the way Marisol and Rocco had. Then again, it was Marisol and Rocco. So that was enough said on that, as far as Gemma was concerned.

The real surprise for Gemma had been the way Bobby was now acting in the wake of the challenge. Sure, there were a couple secrets about her. He had known that she was on another reality show, just not which one. And how could she have thought to bring up the thing about Coachella? They’d known each other a week. It was not surprising things had not come up yet. Being mad about Lucas knowing was just ridiculous.

As soon as the challenge had ended, the Beach Hut sessions had begun. Gemma had been up first with Bobby right behind her. They crossed as Gemma was leaving and Bobby only looked annoyed. It was frustrating. She knew that they needed to talk about things, again. It was also hard to be able to share and open up on her own terms when the producers kept throwing bits of her into the fire. Had she really signed up for this? It was suddenly not seeming like it was doing that much to get her back onto the right dating path.

It also all seemed insane to her. Bobby was not exactly the most open person in the world. And you didn’t need to be Marisol with her bullshit about how good she was at analyzing people to see that he used humor as a defense mechanism. The producers were just choosing not to reveal as much about him. They had chosen to throw her ex into the mix, not Bobby’s. As she continued to think about it, she knew that she needed to calm down.

Without stopping for anyone, Gemma quickly made her way to the pool. If other Islanders called out to her, she did not hear them. She roughly pulled her mic off and dove into the deep end of the pool, swimming as far as she could towards the other side before surfacing. She was hardly wearing the type of bathing suit to do laps, but she felt better already. Turning over onto her back, she floated through the water for a bit, keeping her her ears submerged to block everything out.

Gemma had no idea how much time had passed when water landed on her face. She blinked her eyes and straightened herself up to see Hope sat at the edge, her feet in the water. One foot looked poised to splash again. Next to her, Noah looked apologetic as he held a towel. With an eyeroll, Gemma swam to the edge and pulled herself out, taking the towel from Noah. She dried herself off in silence and strapped the mic back onto herself.

“So that was some challenge,” Hope said and Gemma nearly snorted.

“I’m curious about these pole dance classes,” Gemma said and looked over to Noah, who had now sat next to Hope.

“So am I, to be honest,” Noah said and Hope laughed, elbowing him in the side.

“As a dancer, I would expect you’ve heard of those classes being offered as a workout,” Hope said and Gemma chuckled.

“To be fair, I have. I’ve never gone, but I know girls who have. That takes a lot of muscle, I’m not sure I could handle it,” Gemma said and Hope scoffed.

“Please, with those muscles?” Hope asked.

“Have you seen Marisol or Rocco?” Gemma asked, looking over her shoulder.

“It seems everyone scattered after that challenge,” Noah said.

Looking around on the lawn, that seemed right. Lottie was laying on the loungers, alone. Gary was in the kitchen, seeming to try and make something to eat. Marisol and Rocco were nowhere to be seen. And Priya seemed to be trying to get Ibrahim to give her workout pointers in the gym area. Lucas and Henrik had just emerged from inside the villa laughing about something. Neither seemed too bothered about their secrets. 

“Noah mentioned that he saw you storm off toward the pool, we were worried,” Hope said, concern plain on her face.

“It’ll be fine, babes, the challenges are supposed to get us going, right?” Gemma was trying to keep everything easy.

“Oh, there’s Bobby,” Noah observed, causing the two women to look back towards the villa.

He glanced toward the three of them for a moment and seemed to sigh. Gemma started to smile, but it turned to a frown the second Bobby turned away and walked off to join Gary in the kitchen. What was his deal? It was just a stupid challenge and getting this worked up about whatever he was worked up about seemed a little ridiculous.

“He just needs to cool down, I’m sure,” Hope said.

“He’s letting Lucas get in this head, it’s what the producers want,” Noah said, much calmer than Gemma felt. “As soon as he cools down and you chat, it’ll be fine. Anyone can see he really cares about you. He wouldn’t get so worked up otherwise.”

Gemma watched as Bobby’s expression softened and Gary moved away from the counter. Whatever Gary had been trying to make was clearly not working and Bobby had come to save the day. She was not trying to be selfish. Gary had problems right now too, but Bobby was coupled with her. Did he feel this way when Gemma tried to help Hope?

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

Bobby had not wanted to go to sleep when the others did. He had seen it in Gemma’s eyes that she wanted him in bed with her. He knew that she had wanted to talk before the girls had their cocktail party. His mind was still racing and trying to figure everything out. He knew that it was stupid to be jealous of someone she had dated prior to him when she said it was over. It was a little harder to remember when that someone came on the show, seemingly for another shot with her and looked like he’d just stepped off the cover of a magazine. He sighed, looking out over the dark Spanish landscape, the only light provided by the moon. When he heard the door open behind him, he tensed for a moment.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize you were up here.”

He un-tensed upon realizing it was not Gemma, which was a ridiculous reaction. Priya was unsure if she should stay or go to find a different place to sit. Bobby turned around and smiled, sitting down on the bench. She seemed to relax when he patted the spot next to him.

“I don’t mind the company,” Bobby said as she sat.

“Honestly, I hadn’t even realized you weren’t in bed with Gemma, my mind has been all over the place today,” Priya said. She fidgeted with the robe she had pulled around herself.

“What’re you thinking about?” Bobby asked.

This was him all over. Even when he had a lot on his own mind, he could not stand to see other people struggling with anything. Priya crossed and recrossed her legs, seeming to be unsure of where to start. She sighed and resigned herself to asking the question.

“What do you think of Ibrahim?”

It was not the question that he had been expecting. Involuntarily, he remembered the conversation with Gemma the same night Priya had coupled up with Rahim. It seemed so long ago.

“He seems like a nice lad, bit awkward at times with the chat up lines, but nice all the same.”

“That’s my problem, I feel the same.”

“It’s a problem you think he’s nice?”

“No, it’s a problem that’s _all_ I feel about him.”

Bobby was silent for a moment. He knew exactly what Priya was saying and he had been wondering if those two would last long term. She sighed and fixed Bobby with a curious gaze.

“But, what’s going on with you and Gemma?”

It was his turn to sigh. “I’m not sure. I know it’s crazy to be jealous of Lucas, but, I don’t know.”

“I don’t think it’s crazy.”

“Gemma hasn’t done anything wrong, though. I just…I didn’t like that he knew all that stuff about her already.”

“Has she talked about it with you?” He could tell that she was only trying to help.

“Erm, no, she hasn’t.”

Priya was silent for a moment while she studied him. “Because you’ve not let her.”

It was not a question and Bobby knew that it did not need an answer. Priya took his silence for what it was, confirmation that she had been right.

Seeming to realize Bobby wasn’t going to go on, Priya spoke again. “She seemed unusually quiet when we had that cocktail party with the girls.”

“I reckon this place messes with your head.”

“And now, I wonder if we’ve really got any stable couples. You’re confused about Gemma, I’m unhappy with Rahim. The less said of the other two couples, the better. Who knows what’s happening with Hope and Noah?”

“Apart from Gemma, I’d guess nobody.”

“I thought Gemma and I would get on well in the first day or two.”

“Do you not?” Bobby was surprised to hear this. He thought that Gemma seemed to get on with everyone.

Priya flipped her hair over her shoulder casually and leaned into Bobby. “It’s not that we don’t get one, we’re just not close, you know? She’s stuck up for me with Lottie, but she’s much closer to Hope.”

“I’ve noticed. She’s always got time to help Hope figure out…well, whatever they talk about.”

“Okay, talk to me. And not with all the walls up, but really talk to me.”

Bobby hated letting anyone into his inner thoughts. He had always had issues with insecurity. He felt like he wasn’t ever the fittest or best looking in any room. That was part of what had led him to using humor the way that he did. If he was making people laugh, then surely everything was going to be okay. It had been an issue in past relationships, though, when girls could not get deeper into things with him. That was when they ended up friends and Bobby would never admit how much it hurt him every time. Opening up to someone like Priya on a reality show about dating seemed like the last thing he should do. But, somehow knowing that she was not that close with Gemma made her seem like a good option.

So, he took a deep breath and started opening up. He loved that Gemma was so friendly and treated everyone the way that she had. She was like this eternal ray of sunshine, making everyone brighter around her. He had been a little insecure when they had coupled up on day 4, the recoupling that sent Hannah home, because of how some of the other guys looked at her. Despite that, he had been sure that there was something forming between the two of them. As the arguments had started between Lottie and Rocco and Marisol and Gary, he had been thankful to have someone that was easy to care about. Every new fact was exciting and every kiss sent him even further down the rabbit hole. Everything had been as good as it could be expected to be in the villa.

Then, Lucas had been introduced. Somehow, it was a reminder of Gemma’s history outside of the villa. They had not talked about past relationships and some part of Bobby knew that he did not ask because he did not want to know. He did not want to know what kinds of guys Gemma had dated before Love Island. When one of her ex boyfriends walked through the villa doors, it was a painful reminder of every way that Bobby was lacking. He looked nothing like this polished, posh guy. Bobby was all jokes and Lucas was all confidence and smooth lines. And Bobby loved that Gemma was friendly. He believed her when she said it was definitely over with Lucas, but why did she had to continue being nice to him? Why did she have to dance with him like she had the night before? Bobby had no idea that she could dance like that and it had been clear by the look on Lucas’s face that he had not only known, but he had seen her dance before. The rational part of his brain reminded him it was natural. Lucas had been her physio. The irrational part of his brain kept reminding him of the differences between him and the older man.

Bobby had really thought he was feeling okay after the morning. It had been Gemma who had initiated everything that morning. Had it only been that morning? She was showing him that she was all in on this. He still had trouble believing it. He had seen the way that Lucas looked at her all throughout the challenge that afternoon. There was a longing there too and almost a hint that he saw it as a challenge? Bobby had been feeling good when he knew that Gemma had previously been on a reality show. Of course Lucas had known that too even though he had not said anything while they discussed it. The thing that had really killed Bobby, though, was the last secret about Gemma. Who had she run away with after Coachella? Was it one of the artists that she met there? And if she could not talk about it, why did Lucas know? There was this inescapable feeling for Bobby that he would not be enough for her. He did not know how to dance. He could not afford to just pick up and fly to a music festival and then follow a group of new friends to their vacation. Lucas could, though, and it was feeling inescapable.

Through all of Bobby’s confessions, Priya listened quietly and intently, not interrupting as he got it all off his chest. She seemed to realize that if she interrupted, he might not begin speaking again. It was so nice to have someone like this to just vent to, get everything off of his chest. He paused for a second and met Priya’s eyes. He was not sure what he had been expecting to see, but there was a vulnerability there. She leaned in and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him close to her. It was warm and full of understanding. This was the first time he could feel this comfortable with another person.

After far too long, Priya pulled back, the one to initiate and then break off the hug. She was still close, though. It did not even seem to register as a decision as he leaned into her and pressed his lips to hers. If she was surprised, she did not seem to show it. She only gently returned the kiss.

Coming back to his senses, Bobby pulled back, his eyes wide. Priya looked at him curiously and placed her hand on his knee. This was a bad idea. There were cameras everywhere. Bobby placed a hand on Priya’s cheek and pulled her back into him. Their lips met again and Priya leaned fully into Bobby, parting her lips to invite him to deepen the kiss. He took the invitation without realizing what he was doing as Priya’s hand ran down his arm. It was so comfortable and not at all what Bobby had been expecting. As their tongues tangled together, an involuntary moan escaped Bobby’s lips. He could not remember the moment one of his hands started running up the bare skin of Priya’s thigh or when her hand had moved into his hair to hold his lips against hers.

They broke apart and looked at each other, neither feeling anything that they thought they should be. He was worried about Gemma finding out but part of him enjoyed the kiss. Bobby put his head down into his hands, realizing that hoping the show would not air that little scene was useless. The whole point was drama and that was certainly something to talk about. His only hope was that he would be able to tell her about it before she heard from somewhere else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this was a shorter one for me, but I didn't want this scene to get lost in the bigger pictures. As always, comments are greatly appreciated!


	16. Postponed Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to put the boys through their paces and find out who's worthy of the title of Mr. Love Island!
> 
> (this chapter is entirely from Bobby's POV)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who's kept me motivated. It's taken longer than usual to get this update because life sometimes gets in the way.

Bobby woke up and stretched his arms out, eyes still closed. The bed beside him was empty and he cracked an eye open. The covers were over his head but when he removed them, he saw at least half of the Islanders were already out of their beds. It seemed that he had actually managed to sleep in, which he did not take as a good sign. He never slept in on the outside, a fact that he and Gemma had already commiserated over, and had not slept in much in the villa so far. The night before wore heavily on his mind. As he got out of bed, a movement from the direction of Priya and Ibrahim’s bed caught his eye. Carefully avoiding making eye contact with anyone, he headed towards the dressing room.

Once he had showered and gotten ready for the day, and had something to eat, he could face the rest of the day. He just needed to remind himself that he had to get through the little things first. It had only been a kiss. It was not planned and he did not have feelings for Priya. Bobby kept repeating to himself that it was only a kiss…wasn’t that a song? He shook his head to clear his thoughts and went back to repeating things in his head. Before he could come clean about the night before, he needed to talk to Gemma about the challenge and avoiding her afterwards. He was going to have to throw himself before her on that one. It had been a complete overreaction.

Time seemed to pass in a haze of Bobby getting ready and heading out to the kitchen. He did not immediately see Gemma, which he felt might actually be a good thing. It would allow him to have a cuppa and something to eat. Surely this would all be easier with some caffeine and food in his stomach, right? As Bobby was finishing his toast, he heard a high peel of laughter that he would have recognized anywhere. Gemma. She was sitting by the pool with Hope and Noah, which was not surprising in the least. It actually made him feel all the worse. He had been an ass to her the day before and she was still sitting with Hope and Noah. She had not run off to chat to Lucas, not that Bobby could have really blamed her if she had.

Sighing, Bobby stood and walked over to Gemma. He knew all the things that he had to say. It was saying them that was going to be another issue. Hope saw him approaching and whispered something to Gemma before wandering off away from the pool with Noah. Well, that was at least one thing sorted. He wouldn’t have to ask to get her alone.

Bobby sat down next to her and met her eyes, losing a bit of his confidence in that moment. Gemma’s eyes, usually alight with laughter, were narrowed, almost looking guarded. He had put that look on her face just with how he had reacted to the challenge yesterday. How was her face going to change when he told her that he had kissed Priya? Because whoever had initiated it, he had definitely participated. He could not blame it on Priya.

Gemma patiently waited for Bobby to say something, not willing to start the conversation herself. Bobby looked down at his hands and began speaking. He honestly was not even sure what he was saying, but he had to get all his feelings out about the challenge and how he had acted. The words tumbled out as he spoke more to his own hands than to Gemma, but she did not seem bothered by it. She was quiet and listened as he confessed his own insecurities about her previous relationship, admitted that he knew she had not even grafted Lucas since he had come into the villa, and how he knew it was silly. He believed her, he did. He just could not help this feeling of inadequacy, especially when he was comparing himself to someone like Lucas.

To Bobby’s intense relief, Gemma pulled him into her and hugged him tight. Everything that he needed to feel was in that hug. She understood what he was getting at and she was willing to accept it. Instead of feeling better about it, he was feeling worse. Here she was, being the most forgiving person in the world when he’d acted like a complete ass and he was letting her comfort him. He knew that he had to tell her what he had done.

A text interrupted Bobby as he had been trying to figure out if he should tell Gemma right then and there about what happened with Priya. He, Gemma, and the other Islanders gathered around Priya as she read it out.

_“Boys, get ready to put your best foot forward as you compete for the honorable title of Mr. Love Island. #readysetgo #hiddentalents”_

This was the last thing that Bobby felt like he needed at the moment. Without getting a chance to say anything else to Gemma, Lottie started shooing them off to get ready. He quickly kissed Gemma on the cheek and followed the other boys back into the villa. Once in the dressing room, they got a text letting them know there would be three categories that the girls would be judging them on: swimsuit, hidden talent, and speech.

“This is well unfair, when there were more girls, all they had to do was kiss all of us,” Gary moaned. “That’s really a treat for them.”

“Maybe they didn’t all think so,” Noah responded, causing several of them to burst into laughter. Gary, however, was not impressed.

With a sigh, Bobby figured that he had better start figuring out what he was going to do for his speech. That would be the hardest bit. As soon as the first text had mentioned a hidden talent, he knew that he had to bake something. This thought was quickly interrupted by the boys deciding to take over the girls’ dressing room to raid their make-up. Internally, Bobby thought this might be a bad idea. Girls could be funny about someone else using their make-up. His mind was too all over the place to voice anything though. And, really, this was supposed to be basically a pageant. What was a pageant without a little glitter?

“What do you think of this color, mate?” Henrik asked, turning to Bobby and showing off his bright red lips.

“I don’t know, I don’t reckon it goes with your skin tone,” Bobby said and Henrik pouted, causing them both to laugh.

Henrik immediately started fishing through what Bobby knew was Lottie’s make-up bag in search of a better color. Meanwhile, Bobby walked over to the closets to start looking through some of the clothing. He figured that if he was going to make a cupcake appear from some hidden place by magic, he could roll the act into one and dress as the lovely assistant. Using Gemma’s clothes was immediately out. She had great curves and her dress _may_ fit Bobby, but she was short and so that checked her off the list. The same went for Marisol. Actually, if Bobby was honest, he knew the best option would be to try on one of Priya’s dresses. She was the tallest of the girls and likely the best chance for Bobby to be able to shimmy into the dress.

He hesitated for a moment. What was he really thinking about doing here? He had not been able to tell Gemma earlier about what had happened with Priya and now he was going to pry himself into her dress? There was no part of him that actually wanted to win this challenge, or to even put any effort into winning this challenge. He was going to discard the idea when a thought occurred to him.

_Everyone is going to assume this is right up your alley._

Bobby sighed heavily. This was right up his alley. The whole thing sounded like a great way to have a laugh. And everyone knew that Bobby loved to have a laugh or to make the rest of them laugh. If he was not even trying to win, the others would know that something was wrong. At least, Gemma would. He knew that this was eventually going to have to come out, but for now, he had a title to try and win.

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After getting his speech set and finding a dress that he could pry himself into, Bobby excused himself from the insanity that was the inside of the villa to go and make cupcakes for the competition. Even though his mind was still in a million places or what was going to happen with Gemma when she found out about the night before, he was at home in the kitchen baking. This was his comfort zone. In fact, he was so zoned out that he did not even notice Gemma approaching until he caught movement out of the corner of his eye and started.

Gemma chuckled as he recomposed himself. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“That’s what they all say,” Bobby responded.

“Who’s they?”

Bobby shrugged. “I don’t know, just…they.”

“I’ve just come to refill my water bottle. I needed a break from the girls. They’re doing my head in.”

“What now?” Bobby was weary of what they could be discussing but Gemma just waved a hand dismissively.

“Rocco? Loyalty? Who knows with this lot?”

“So, the same.”

Gemma came over to inspect what Bobby was doing, trying to sneakily dip a finger in the batter.

“Oi!” Bobby called and playfully swatted her hand.

“Just a little? You’ve not even made me any cupcakes of my own yet.” Gemma pouted her bottom lip out pitifully and it made Bobby’s heart swell. She was so incredibly adorable and sexy all at the same time. It did not seem fair.

Bobby was about to give in to her request when the villa door opened, causing both of them to look toward the sound of the noise. Noah appeared, looking flustered and then relieved when he saw Bobby and Gemma.

“Gemma, I need your help,” Noah said as soon as he reached the kitchen.

Gemma raised an eyebrow at him and the glitter on only one of his arms. “With what, exactly? The correct application of glitter?”

“What?” Noah asked and looked down. “Oh, that, no. I’ll clean that off. No, with this whole competition.”

“I don’t know, I think if I help anyone, it should be Bobby,” Gemma mused and smirked up at Bobby.

“He’s all sorted. He’s been almost the calmest of us all,” Noah countered.

Bobby tried to keep his demeanor casual. Apparently it had worked so far and none of them realized he was dealing with an internal struggle about what to do. 

“Please Gemma,” Noah said, even attempting a pout.

“He’s pitiful, that one, you better help him,” Bobby said.

Gemma rolled her eyes but kissed Bobby on the cheek and followed Noah back into the villa. As much as Bobby genuinely did want her help, he was worried what would happen if he was alone with her again. He had to tell her. He knew that he had to tell her. But, now was not the time. They were about to compete in a boys only challenge that was clearly designed for them to have a bit of fun and there was already enough drama with Rocco and everything the day before with Marisol. It had been enough to break up Rocco and Lottie as well as Marisol and Gary.

The thought that the addition of two new boys seemed to have spun them into this much chaos was not a comforting thought. Bobby knew that throughout the summer, there would be new people coming and going. The new people’s purpose was to get to stay in the villa. Why should it be surprising that everything had gotten more tense with the new additions?

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For some reason, Gary had been elected the MC of the event. Noah had tried to throw the job to Bobby, who had been quick to shoot it down. The look on Noah’s face said that he had been too quick. Thankfully, none of the other lads had said something and the crane operator happily took his place up on the stage. There was a sort of runway leading all the way down to a table, behind which the girls sat. Hope was in the middle, with Gemma to her left, sitting between Hope and Lottie. Bobby watched as Gemma lifted her hand to her mouth and whispered something to Hope, both girls dissolving in giggles.

Honestly, Bobby was far too pre-occupied to notice what was going on aside from hearing the occasional squeals of delight from the girls. When it was his turn to compete in the first event, swimwear, he stepped from behind the curtained area where the boys were all gathered and plastered his smile on his face. He tried to put himself into it, attempting his best model strut down the runway. At the end of the runway, he struck a pose with his hand on his hip and made to turn around. Figuring it would sell that he was still his goofy self, he pretended to trip and commando rolled back down the runway. With a glance over his shoulder, he found the girls all giggling.

He hurried back behind the curtain and went to pry himself back into Priya’s dress, hoping that it would work. As he was shimmying, he heard the reactions as the girls realized Henrik had used Lottie’s lipstick and a liberal amount of glitter. It seemed they were all entertained.

“Need a hand?” Noah asked, appearing next to Bobby.

“Nah, I think I’m all right,” Bobby said and smiled.

“Maybe I should’ve let Gemma help you,” Noah said with a chuckle.

“It’s basically a pageant, might as well where the evening wear,” Bobby shrugged and Noah just shook his head.

This should have been just the distraction that Bobby, and all the others, needed from the villa. He knew that the drama was only about to kick up in intensity if he did not get a chance to talk to Gemma first. And really, he needed to talk to Priya as well. He’d not said anything to her the night before after they had kissed. Mentally, he added another item to his list with a sigh.

“You’re up next, mate,” Gary said, peeking his head around the curtain.

Bobby crossed paths with Noah when he headed back out to the runway and the librarian was smiling. As Bobby stepped out, the girls were happily giggling together as they admired Gemma’s hair, which had been braided. Was that Noah’s talent? And Gemma had helped him with that?

They went silent when they noticed Bobby in Priya’s low cut dress before devolving into a whole new set of giggles. Bobby was carefully avoiding Priya’s gaze, though he heard her react and say something about how this wasn’t even the skimpiest dress she’d brought. Instead, he focused his eyes on Gemma and remembered everything that he knew about slight of hand. He made the cupcake appear from under the handkerchief and the girls all burst into applause. Placing it down in front of Gemma, he winked and walked off.

“Are you going to eat that?” came Hope’s voice. Bobby looked over his shoulder to see that Gemma was bringing the cupcake to her mouth.

“Uh, yeah! It’s a cupcake!” Gemma explained as if it were obvious.

Bobby passed Ibrahim as he was heading back behind the curtain and almost asked why Ibrahim was holding a Rubik’s cube before thinking better of it. Honestly, the things these lads thought passed as a talent was troubling. If he hadn’t been so distracted himself, he knew that this competition would have easily been his. As it was, he was not even sure how he’d done, let alone what anyone else had done.

The last category was the speeches. Bobby knew that this was where he was supposed to bare his soul and say something really meaningful. At least, that was probably what they would expect. He was constantly the joker, but surely they would expect him to be serious here. Luckily for him, he went after Rocco and all he really had to do was not tank. After Rocco, that did not seem hard. He made a speech about the patience required to make the perfect baked goods and how it related to him in a relationship. He thought he saw Gemma smile.

Finally, the whole thing was over and they were all waiting, away from the girls, while the girls decided who had won. There seemed to be a lot of pointing and whispering and even laughing as they compared what Bobby assumed were their opinions on each of the guys. Marisol seemed unusually quiet, which was probably because none of the girls were inclined to give Rocco a chance. When the girls broke apart, Hope was looking pleased as Lottie approached the boys with a sash and tiara in hand.

“This was a hard one, boys, but in the end we agreed that the winner of Mr. Love Island is…Noah!” Lottie announced, walking up to Noah.

Bobby clapped politely along with the others as Lottie put the sash around Noah and he bent forward so she could put the tiara on his head. Gary called for a speech and Noah thanked the girls for selecting him and then thanked Gemma for taking the time to help him and to calm his nerves. She was smiling along with Hope up at him, clearly also pleased with his victory. Had Bobby not been so distracted, he might have wondered why his cupcake was not good enough to put him into first place.

Noah got a text saying that he got a call from home and then would be joined by the girl of his choice for a date in the hideaway. Unsurprisingly, he choose Hope, who dragged Gemma off with her to help her get ready. Those two were thick as thieves and it was sometimes even hard to get them to separate for just a moment.

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Gemma was still with Hope somewhere in the villa, presumably either helping Hope get ready or getting ready herself. Although nobody else was getting a date, it was still nearing night now, which meant that they all wanted to get out of their bathing suits. You also never knew what the producers were going to throw at you. Bobby saw Priya sitting along on the daybeds with a glass of wine in her hand and headed towards her before he even realized he was doing it.

“Hey,” he said when he approached. Priya raised her eyes to look at him and then looked away.

“Are you speaking to me now?”

“I wasn’t not speaking to you before.”

“Could’ve fooled me. And then you turn up wearing my dress?”

“I’m sorry, Priya, I didn’t handle it well.” Bobby ran his hand through his dreads before sitting on the bed next to Priya.

Priya looked at him for a long moment and he wondered what she saw there. “I suppose I get it.”

“Get what?”

“Why you’ve been so quiet. Gemma is lovely and I know you really fancy her.”

“I’ve not told her yet.”

“I guessed as much. She’s still been perfectly friendly with me.”

“Kissing you last night…I shouldn’t have done that.” Bobby was trying to read the look on Priya’s face by the fading light.

“Why did you?” Priya asked.

“I dunno, really. I was feeling down about things and…it just happened.”

“I told you I wanted to couple with you and you turned me down.” Priya was not asking a question, she was making a statement.

“I know.”

“Has that changed?”

Bobby took a moment to really think about what Priya was asking. Was he interested in her? Or was he just feeling insecure about Gemma? He was not sure how to answer it without hurting Priya.

“I want to really give it a shot with Gemma.”

“Can’t say as I’m surprised.” Priya actually did not look upset, just resigned.

"I'm really sorry, Priya. I know what I did wasn't fair to you."

"It's okay, emotions have been running high in here. That kiss was at much from me as it was from you." 

Bobby looked down at his hands as Priya took another sip from her glass. He hated what he had done. He had no idea why it had happened. Priya was a great girl and he really did like her, but he could not really see anyone apart from Gemma. He had known the second she walked out that he was done for. How had he screwed it all up like this? He was hoping that Gemma would be understanding.

“What about you and Rahim?” Bobby wanted to change the topic.

Priya sighed and crossed her legs. “There isn’t much there, really. I think I need to set my eyes elsewhere.”

“Do you have anyone in mind?”

Priya was quiet for several minutes and Bobby was not sure if she was going to answer. She was quietly looking into her glass of wine, swirling it around before finally taking a sip.

“I suppose the only other boy I’ve really been interested in is Noah.”

Bobby latched onto this without even realizing what he was doing and immediately went into a planning mode. Priya actually seemed to light up as they talked about if she should try to speak to him and what she should say. They agreed that it did not really make sense to stay in the same couples from day 1. They also agreed that sometimes things did not seem right between Hope and Noah, like they were not really matched to each other. The rest of the villa was noticing little signs that they were arguing about things. Yes, it all got more intense in the villa, but arguing just over a week in when no drama had been directed at either of them was a bad sign. It was clear that the physical attraction was there. But were they both clinging onto it because they were afraid to try something new? Both Bobby and Priya thought that could be the case.

Priya wondered if she should try and pull Noah aside for a conversation. She knew that it was tricky. Hope always seemed to be around. It was also the only way for Priya to really get a sense for where Noah's head was at. Ultimately, Bobby suggest that at this point, Priya might as well go for broke. There were more girls than boys in the villa, so she was not at risk for going anywhere. She really had not reason not to try and turn his head. If she was not feeling things with Rahim, then it was best to explore her options. She also acknowledged that at some point she was going to have to tell Rahim what had happened with her and Bobby. He got awkward for a moment when she said that. She saved him from that quickly, though, saying that since he still wanted it to work with Gemma that she would wait to say anything until after Gemma knew.

He was supposed to like Hope, he knew that he was supposed to like Hope. Gemma was close to her and she really wasn't a bad person. He just had not gotten close to her yet, despite being coupled with Gemma. When Bobby voiced this, Priya agreed. She liked Hope, for the most part, but reminded him that none of them were here for vacation or just to make friends. Everyone had to go after what they wanted. Bobby really admired that about Priya. She was goofy and fun but also confident in what she wanted. She had seemingly embraced coming in here as the bombshell. 

As they were about to continue their conversation, Gemma's voice rang out across the lawn calling all the Islanders to dinner while Hope and Noah were off on their date in the Hideaway. Bobby helped Priya to her feet and was thankful that things had gone as smoothly as they had with her. For the first time since last night, Bobby was feeling light and happy, not concerned about anything lurking on the horizon


	17. Mean Tweets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to figure out what the public really thinks about our Islanders. What surprises could this challenge possibly hold?

When Gemma woke, it was dark around her and she briefly wondered what had brought her out of her sleep, until she realized a hand was gently stroking her back. She opened one eye and realized that it was dark because the blanket was over her head. As she stirred, the hand on her back stilled. Gemma peaked her head out from under the covers and saw Bobby was sitting up in bed with her. He was smiling and holding a cup of coffee, which seemed to be for her. All of the other beds were empty.

“Did I sleep in?” Gemma asked, taking the cup from Bobby.

“A little, but with all the arguing everyone has been doing lately, I figured you could use the rest,” Bobby admitted and Gemma frowned.

She remembered the night before ending in more arguing. Noah and Hope had come back from their date looking cross instead of happy, like anyone would expect, and neither wanted to talk about what was going on. Gemma had even offered to talk to each of them, separately, and been refused. Marisol was still mad at everyone for judging Rocco as harshly as they had and nobody wanted to hear it. Lottie had been unusually quiet for her.

“Thanks, babe.” Gemma took a sip of the coffee and it was exactly as she liked it. She set it down on the night stand.

“Don’t you like it?” Bobby looked concerned.

“Course I do, I just thought, the bedroom is empty, maybe we could stay in bed.”

Bobby looked momentarily caught off guard before recovering his composure and raising an eyebrow. “Oh? And do what?”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe cuddle?”

Bobby chuckled at her response but went along with her on it. Gemma slid down again so that she was laying on her side, facing away from Bobby. She felt him slide down into the bed and she wiggled herself back into him. He moved to slide one arm under her head and the other draped over her hips. It was oddly relaxing for her to feel his chest rising and falling against her back.

Partly attempting to get more comfortable, Gemma wiggled against him and felt his breath catch. His hand, which had been draped over her, moved up to her hip and squeezed it, pressing her tighter against his body. She moaned slightly as she felt him twitch against her. Gemma arched her back so her butt pressed tighter against Bobby’s cock, which was now definitely hardening.

Without saying anything, she knew that they were on the same page. Gemma pulled the covers over their heads to give them at least a little privacy if someone happened to come in. She started moving her butt back into his hips and heard him groan. His hand slid under the silk fabric of her shorts and moved to her front, lightly stroking along her folds, eliciting a moan from her lips. Bobby had one arm under Gemma’s neck and used that hand to cover her mouth as he slid a finger into her. Gemma was shocked at how her body reacted to him. It was like she could not get enough and as he slid a second finger in, she was thankful for his hand over her mouth. She moved her own hand over her mouth to allow him to reposition. His fingers quickly pumped in and out of her.

“Fuck Bobby,” she whimpered.

“What do you want?” he rasped out and Gemma moaned in response.

“I need to feel you inside of me,” Gemma said. “Fuck, please babe.”

He slowly pulled his fingers out of her and removed the arm that was under her neck. As he did so, she reached down to pull her silk shorts down to her ankles and discard them somewhere at the foot of the bed. Behind her, she could feel him removing his bathing suit shorts as well.

“How do you want me?” Bobby asked and Gemma thought.

“Just like this,” Gemma responded and pushed herself back against him.

He gasped as she pressed her ass into his hard cock. Bobby slid one arm under Gemma’s neck and she hitched her leg up to give him a better access point. She had never had sex with someone as if they were cuddling like this but it made sense right now. They had to be quick. Bobby guided himself to her entrance and she gasped as he pressed in. She barely had a chance to adjust before he took over her leg and started pumping into her.

It was such a new feeling that Gemma could barely catch her breath. She placed a hand over her mouth again to keep her moans from getting too loud. Instead, she focused on matching Bobby’s rhythm, arching her back to allow him to hit her just where she needed him to. He let her leg fall to get a better grip on her hip as he continued to pump into her.

“Faster babe I’m so close,” Gemma whined softly.

Forgetting that they were in the villa, Bobby flipped them over so that Gemma was on her hands and knees, face down into the pillow and he was still inside her and now behind her. He made sure they were still covered and he resumed a fast pace of thrusting into her. Gemma bit down on the pillow in front of her, a deep arch in her back as she met Bobby’s thrusts. His hands were gripping her hips hard, forcing her back to take all of him in each stroke before pulling almost all the way out. She felt her insides begin to clench and pressed her face further into the pillow to stifle an almost scream as she was pushed over the edge. Bobby continued pumping into her erratically as the waves of pleasure came over her.

“Fuck me,” he hissed as he reached his own release, still pumping as he came.

The two of them were quiet for a moment, both waiting for their bodies to stop spasming and to come down from the high. Bobby carefully pulled himself out of Gemma and collapsed beside her. Just as Gemma was reaching down to locate her shorts, she heard a voice call into the bedroom.

“Hope you’re decent in there, I’m coming in for my water bottle,” Lottie’s voice sing-songed.

Bobby and Gemma giggled but stayed hidden beneath the covers as Lottie came in. They could hear her stifling a giggle as she walked to her bed. Moments later, they heard her footsteps retreating out of the bedroom. It was time to get up and get ready.

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Both feeling ready to face the day, Bobby and Gemma made their way outside so that Gemma could get something to eat. When Bobby offered to make her a toastie, she happily accepted. It did not matter to her that it was not really a normal breakfast food.

“I never got to ask, what were you and Priya all deep in conversation about last night before we called everyone over to dinner?” Gemma was sitting on a barstool watching Bobby make her a toastie.

“Oh, that.” Bobby stayed focused on his task so he did not burn anything. “We were talking about her and Rahim.”

“Not a good match, are they?”

“You’d noticed?”

Gemma sighed. “They look incredible together, but I’ve wondered because as much as she seems like she’s trying, I’m just not sure it seems to be working.”

“No, she’s not feeling it.”

“What has Rahim said?”

“Erm, she’s not told him yet.”

“Better to do it sooner rather than later. We’re going to have a recoupling soon, I’m sure, with two new boys here.”

“You’re right.”

“Has she got her eyes on someone else? Do I need to be worried?” Gemma smirked as she asked this but was confused when a moment of panic seemed to cross Bobby’s face. It was gone a split second later and Gemma thought she may have imagined it.

“She has, actually.”

“Oh?”

“She thinks she might fancy Noah a bit.”

Gemma was silent for a long moment as she considered this, chewing on her bottom lip. It was clear that Hope and Noah may not be the best match. She was not sure how Hope would take this news though. Should she tell her? Bobby slide the toastie to her, breaking her concentration.

“I guess I can see that. I have noticed her glancing at him a bit.”

“I suggested she try it out, see if there’s any interest there.”

“You what?”

“Yeah, I mean, we were chatting about how it doesn’t really make sense that people would just stay with the same person from the beginning. And, like, we’d talked about how those two have been fighting.”

“Sure, they’ve been fighting, but…”

“We came up with this whole plan for her to try and turn his head, really see what’s going on with those two. Because they haven’t even bothered grafting on anyone else. We’re all here to find the right person for us and it seems like maybe those two are just playing the game, rather than actually trying. You’re supposed to get to know other people.”

Gemma just stared blankly at Bobby. What was she hearing right now? It didn’t make sense to stay together from the beginning? Hadn’t that been what they had basically done since Priya had stolen Ibrahim? On top of that, as if it hadn’t already been bad enough, Bobby was saying he and Priya had come up with a plan to turn Noah’s head. She could not believe what she was hearing. Then there was the fact that Bobby and Priya evidently thought that Hope and Noah were just playing the game, rather than being here for the right reasons. She had not really gotten to know the other boys like she had gotten to know Bobby. Was he saying that was an issue?

“I don’t know what to say.”

“I suppose it does sound a bit daft now, but…”

“Do you believe everything you said?”

Bobby was quiet for a moment, as if he were thinking. “I mean, yeah, I really do think they may just be playing the game.”

“Hope is my closest friend here and you’ve come up with this whole plan to mess up her relationship? Instead of just letting people figure things out themselves?”

“I guess…I guess, I didn’t think about it like that.”

“Well, you’ve got to stop her.”

Bobby chewed on his lower lip as it thinking something through. Gemma was not sure what there was to think about. “Erm, well I saw Priya pull Noah for a chat earlier when Hope was called to the Beach Hut.”

“What?” Gemma asked.

“I’d said something in my Beach Hut first thing this morning about how even though Hope and Noah had a date last night, they still were fighting already this morning. And then Hope got called to the Beach Hut right after.”

“Is that when you came to get into bed with me?” Gemma was unable to process what she was hearing.

“Erm, yeah, well, we figured that it’d be best if as few people as possible saw Priya pulling him for a chat. You and him are so close, we weren’t sure if he would chat to her with you around.”

Bobby looked sheepish as he was not meeting Gemma’s eyes. He cleared his throat and then looked up at her.

“Honestly, Bobby, I’m disappointed. For someone who doesn’t like drama, you’ve created a lot of waves. There shouldn’t have been this whole big plan to make sure Noah was free. If he didn’t want to have a chat like that with Priya, he shouldn’t have been forced to.”

Bobby flinched at her words. “We weren’t trying to force him.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“Just please don’t tell her. Priya’s had a hard go of it in here.”

The two of them drifted into an uncomfortable silence as Gemma processed what Bobby had said. It stung that he was so worried about Priya having a hard time in the villa but did not seem at all concerned about how she was feeling. He and Priya had actively plotted for her to have the chance to turn his head. It had even included keeping Hope and Gemma out of the way. Suddenly, Gemma was even second guessing what had happened that morning with her and Bobby. Had that been part of the plan too? She tried to shake it off. Had she not been so distracted herself, she may have noticed that Bobby was also unusually quiet for him.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

The conversation that morning with Gemma had not gone at all how Bobby would have liked. He had not been planning to initiate anything when he brought her coffee in bed. There were things that they needed to talk about before going forward. He knew that. But, then again, he was also not going to stop her. She was so important to him and being close to her like that just felt so right.

When Hope had come out of the Beach Hut, she had wanted to talk to Gemma about her date the night before and how things were going with Noah. It was a good chance for Bobby to excuse himself. He wondered if Gemma would bring it up to Hope. They had talked about it a little further and he had all but begged her not to say anything. He could see that she was annoyed. He had no idea why he was pushing it.

The morning passed into afternoon and it was no better. There wasn’t any opportunity for him to grab Gemma alone once Noah told Hope that Priya had pulled him for a chat and tried to kiss him. The ensuing fight dragged nearly the whole villa into the crosshairs. In that moment, he realized that Gemma had been right. He had stirred all this up just because he felt bad for kissing Priya and then saying he still wanted to be with Gemma. How could he explain that was part of his reason, though?

Hope, Noah, and Priya were all fighting back and forth and somehow, his name had been left out. That was good for now. Eventually his involvement would come out and he was not looking forward to it. Yes, he had been part of the plan, and he still thought on some level that it had been a good plan. Everyone should have their perfect pair and if it wasn’t working, they owed it to themselves and their partners to move on. Emotions ran high in the villa, though, and things happened much faster than they would in real life. Ibrahim had been keeping his head down and Bobby felt bad. He thought of what he would feel like if Gemma had done that to him and his stomach turned. He had to tell her.

Once Hope and Noah had broken off on their own fight, with Priya nowhere to be found, another fight broke out between Lottie, Rocco, and Marisol. Lottie was still heated about Marisol sneaking around with Rocco. As it turned out, they had actually kissed before the challenge. Marisol had admitted to kissing Rocco the night that Henrik and Lucas had entered the villa. Even though Bobby knew that it wasn’t fair, his stomach still sank at the thought of Lucas having come in. It also wasn’t fair to blame the new guys entirely for the sudden fighting. It had probably been boiling right below the surface.

That afternoon, they got a break from the fighting to go play in a challenge. Apparently, it was time for Mean Tweets. If there was anything that was going to get them even more fired up, it was definitely finding out what the public thought of them. There was a banner hanging over a chalkboard reading Mean Tweets. On the chalkboard was each couple across the top. There was a set of cards waiting there.

Lucas and Henrik were going to be an honorary couple, and also were going to be acting as the hosts of the challenge. Each of the other couples took a seat at one of the small tables. Bobby’s leg brushed Gemma’s and she smiled warmly at him. She rested her head on his shoulder he let out a sigh he had not realized he was calling.

“Are you nervous?” Gemma asked him softly.

“You know me, I’m an open book,” Bobby responded, trying to keep his voice level. He knew it was a lie. “What about you?”

“It seems like they really enjoy picking on me in these, so we’ll see,” Gemma sighed.

“It’ll be fine, lass,” Bobby said and kissed the top of her head. She was right. They did seem to like to pick on her.

“Henrik and I will take turns reading out the tweet with the names blanked out. Each couple will write their guess on the chalkboard on their table and turn it around.” Lucas was reading off his phone. “We’ll then reveal the answers and everyone who got it right, gets a point.”

“The winners will get a special prize,” Henrik said, wiggling his eyebrows as he read over Lucas’ shoulder.

“Everyone ready?”

There came a chorus of yes as Henrik and Lucas took their places. Henrik motioned for Lucas to go first.

“Oh my,” Lucas said and coughed to cover a chuckle before reading.

_“­­­_______________ should spend a little less time worrying about everyone else and a little more time worrying about how she’s nobody’s first choice.” – @veritasLItg_

Everyone started muttering in their couples, with one obvious exception. It seemed that most couples felt the answer was obvious. Bobby pushed the chalkboard toward Gemma with a smirk. He watched as she wrote Marisol’s name and then turned her board around. All of the other couples had written Marisol, except Marisol and Gary, who had written Lottie’s name.

Lucas made a show of pulling the tape off his notecard to reveal the name. ”Marisol should spend a little less time worrying about everyone else and a little more time worrying about how she’s nobody’s first choice.”

Marisol huffed and crossed her arms in annoyance. Henrik chuckled and marked a point for every couple except for Marisol and Gary. In contrast, Gary looked vaguely amused. He did not seem to care about outcome. Bobby wondered if maybe Gary just didn’t want to earn a prize with Marisol.

They moved swiftly on to find out what the public thought about the other Islanders, or at least what the producers thought worth sharing for one reason or another. It surprised Bobby a little that the tweet about Lottie and Rocco seemed to be someone who had a soft spot for Lottie despite her prickly exterior. None them really knew what was being shown about them. He found he was only really half listening, his leg jiggling nervously at what would be revealed about him. Or what would come out about Gemma.

Henrik cleared his throat as his eyes looked surprised at whatever was on his card. “I can’t figure out why, but _________ just looks like a bloke who’d like to get pegged.” - @Mcmckenzie310

This had the effect of causing all the girls to immediately burst into laughter as they cast their eyes around the group. None of them seemed sure. Bobby ended up laughing along with Gemma but was one of the only guys to do so.

  
“What do you reckon? Is it you?” Gemma asked between giggles.

“Oh, you’ve caught me,” Bobby said and laughed again. Actually, it would almost be a relief if that was the worst they could do on him.

“You know, I actually reckon it could be Gary."

“Are you just saying that because you and him don’t get on that well?”

Gemma shrugged and wrote Gary’s name without waiting for Bobby to weigh in. It was probably for the best that way. Bobby had not sold any of the other boys out. Moments later, Henrik revealed that the answer was Gary. Everyone looked at him for a reaction and he just burst out with a booming laugh.

“Where do people come up with this?” Gary asked after he finally stopped laughing.

Lucas indicated that Henrik should read another and Henrik shrugged before turning to his next card. “I really like __________ and ____________, but babes, open your eyes. You’re like oil and vinegar. You can force them to mix for a little while, but they always end up separating in the end.” - @Finality2020

Bobby whistled at that as he watched all the other couples start frantically whispering to each other. It seemed that this one was definitely going to cause some issues. When he looked back at Gemma, she was watching him cautiously.

“You don’t think this is about us, do you?”

Gemma asked the question quietly and his heart broke at how sad her eyes look. They were usually full of light and life. He pulled her into his side and kissed the top of her head, inhaling the smell that was so unique to her. He was still not used to it.

“If I’m honest, I reckon it actually could be about Hope and Noah.”

Gemma frowned and bit her lower lip. “I can’t write them.”

“Go with Priya and Rahim, then. It could be them as well.”

Bobby was trying to keep the focus off it possibly being about him and Gemma. He had not even considered it as a possibility and now he was worried it was about them. When the couples revealed their boards, the answers were seemingly split between Priya and Rahim, Hope and Noah, and, he saw as his heart sank, himself and Gemma. Henrik revealed the answer had been Hope and Noah, as Bobby had thought.

Hope looked miserably at Noah and sighed as they moved onto the next tweet. In that moment, Bobby felt horrible for what he had done and how he had treated Hope until that moment. He just saw her as an annoying friend of Gemma’s clinging too tight to Noah. He realized then that there was much more to Hope than he realized. He could see on her face exactly what Gemma had always been saying: Hope was someone who used confidence to mask any insecurities that she had. And more than anything, Gemma had always insisted that Hope was a good person.

When Lucas announced that there was only one tweet left, Bobby was hoping that he had made it through unscathed. There had been a tweet about Gemma not being as good a dancer as she thought she was which Gemma had not even cared about and a tweet about how ridiculous Bobby had looked in a dress. All said, it was not terrible.

Lucas’s face went dark for a moment before he read out the last one. He seemed unsure. “Erm, maybe we ought to leave out this last one.”

“No way! It’s all supposed to be fun!” Lottie protested.

She had really been enjoying the game, it seemed. Lucas allowed his eyes to wander to Gemma for a second, full of concern. Bobby’s heart sank. Was he about to be outed?

“Yeah, I reckon we carry on,” Gemma chimed in and Lucas sighed.

_“Honestly, I’m so over how ___________ acts insecure about everything when he was the one to fully make out with __________ on the roof terrace while his partner slept.” - @Redlightsdistrict_

Silence. It was worse than Bobby could have imagined. There was no reason he could explain this away. He had chances, so many of them. And he had not told her. The other Islanders all seemed shocked by the revelation and were looking around at each other to try and figure out who was looking guilty. He looked over at Gemma who was frowning down at the chalkboard.

“I’m not sure who acts insecure,” Gemma said slowly, finally looking up at Bobby. “I suppose, Rahim? Or actually maybe Rocco.”

“Yeah, could be,” Bobby said.

“Marisol did admit that she’d kissed Rocco during the welcome party for the new boys,” Gemma said and Bobby allowed himself to feel relief.

“If you want to write Rocco and Marisol, that’s fine with me.”

Gemma paused with the chalk in her hand. “It said roof terrace though, didn’t it?”

“Aye, I think it did.”

Bobby watched as Gemma chewed her lower lip before sighing and deciding to write Rocco and Marisol. She was right. It was not about Rocco and Marisol and he knew it. It was about him and Priya and they’d left it til the end like this to make a splash. Gemma turned over their board and Bobby cast his glance around at the other couples. His eyes landed on Priya, who had silent tears streaming down her face with her eyes locked not on him, but next to him on Gemma. He watched as Priya mouthed she was sorry and only then saw she had written his name and her own. Next to him, Gemma flinched and inched away from Bobby. He looked over at her, but her eyes were locked on Lucas as she nodded slightly. Bobby looked to Lucas and saw something other than the usual smug grin on his face. He hated what he was about to do.

_“Honestly, I’m so over how Bobby acts insecure about everything when he was the one to fully make out with Priya on the roof terrace while his partner slept.” - @Redlightsdistrict_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Red for her continued help in writing this chapter, even though she was not waiting very patiently 😂
> 
> And thanks to Tori for her incredible encouragement with the direction this has all been headed.
> 
> Stay tuned, there's plenty of stormy skies ahead!


	18. The Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Islanders are reeling from the Mean Tweets (and the events over the last few days) when they get another text. What have the producers cooked up this time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize that this chapter is so heavy on the conversations, but it was necessary for everything that needs to come out. 
> 
> Song Inspo: Unsteady - X Ambassadors

The tweet was met with more silence as all eyes flew to Gemma, Bobby, or Priya. She had no words for what she was feeling at this moment. He knew that it was about him. Everything about his body language made sense. He knew and he let her guess Rocco and Marisol. What in the world had he been thinking?

“Gemma, I’m so sorry,” Priya said, tears now fully falling.

“What the fuck, Bobby?” Gemma shouted.

“I should have told you, I know…” Bobby said, hanging his head.

“I don’t even know what to say. You knew that was about you! You knew it was about you and you still let me look like an absolute mug while I answered Rocco and Marisol!”

“I was hoping it was…”

“Someone else? That would have been convenient for you, eh?”

“It’s not about convenient, it’s just…”

“You know what? After _everything_ I’ve let slide, all the times you put someone else ahead of me, all the times you were worried about literally nothing because I’ve not grafted anyone else. And this is what I get?! Seriously, Bobby, fuck you. _Fuck_ you!”

Gemma stalked off the stage with tears in her eyes, not even paying attention to who was following her, if anyone even was. Any other time, she would’ve expected Hope to follow, but her own couple was not doing much better. First, there had been Bobby and Priya’s plan, which Hope had not yet figured out Bobby had been part of or that it had been a whole plan. Then, there had been the tweet and the obvious hurt in Hope’s eyes as she realized it was about her and Noah.

Honestly, Bobby and Priya had messed up three couples in a matter of…how long? When had Bobby kissed Priya? Her head was all a mess as she tried to sort things out. They had seemed to be fine yesterday after they had talked about his insecurities during the Kiss and Tell challenge. But, they hadn’t been completely fine, had they? Bobby hadn’t wanted Gemma’s help preparing for Mr. Love Island. At the time she’d thought it was just because it was a challenge up his alley. Now she was wondering if it had really been because he had already kissed Priya and was anxious. There had been something else he had been going to say after they talked yesterday morning. She had been sure of it. The text letting them know about the boys only challenge had interrupted them. Had he been about to tell her that he had kissed Priya the night before? Did it matter?

_Yes_ , she told herself, _it did matter because if he had told me before this challenge, then I might be slightly more likely to forgive him. But, this mess now? I’m not sure what to do._

She had not even paid attention to where she was running to until she was on the roof terrace. She looked around like she was expecting to find evidence of Priya and Bobby there, like it wasn’t a completely common place for people to try and sneak off for private chats. Gemma walked over to the railing and leaned against it, looking for answers in the distant Spanish hills. A throat cleared behind her after a few minutes. Gemma turned around to see Bobby standing there, shuffling his feet like he was nervous. It wasn’t cute right now and she rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“Finally decided to catch up with me?” Gemma huffed out, arms crossed.

“I wasn’t sure if I should come after you,” Bobby admitted.

“If you’re just going to run off to check on someone else after this, then you might as well clear off now. I’m sick of you not putting my needs first.”

“I’m not sure that’s fair.”

“I don’t really think you’re in a position to tell me what’s fair.”

“I’m so sorry, Gigi, I was going to tell you, I swear.”

Gemma blanched at the use of her nickname. Her mind instantly shot up an image of the two of them laying in bed, Bobby commenting that Gemma was impossible to come up with a good nickname for. She laughed because she’d heard it before and told him it was why her friends and family called her Gigi or Geej, short for Gemma Grace, the two Gs. Now it just felt wrong that he would call her that. 

“When exactly were you going to tell me? This morning when you fucked me knowing you’d kissed her while we were coupled up? Or last night when you and Priya were planning on trying to break up a couple which happens to include my closest friends in here? Or _wearing Priya’s dress during a fucking challenge_? Is that when you were going to tell me?”

Bobby swallowed hard. Gemma knew that he was used to a very different side of her. Her screaming like this wasn’t her, at least not in his eyes. She was just so exhausted with the way things had been that it was all coming out.

“It was hard for me to just figure out how to say it.”

“You just fucking say it, Bobby! You had no issue doing it, so you just fucking spit it out because I deserved to know.”

Bobby’s shoulders slumped. “You’re right, you did.”

“Did you want me to look like an idiot?”

“What? Of course not!”

“You could’ve fooled me. You literally let me write Rocco and Marisol as a response to that question! You knew it wasn’t about them. You even admitted the tweet said the roof terrace. You knew it was about you and Priya. At least she had the balls to own her shit. That’s more than I can say for you.”

“Gemma, I’ve put so much into this…”

“Don’t. Don’t you _fucking_ dare.” Gemma’s eyes were narrow as the glared at Bobby. They held none of the usual light or sparkle.

“What?”

“You’re so worried about keeping peace in the villa that you’ll put anyone else before me. You don’t want to see people be upset and you can’t even see how many times I’ve felt slighted by you!”

“Like when?” Bobby’s voice sounded incredulous.

“Do you really want me to list them?”

Bobby paused for a moment and their eyes locked. She couldn’t see what she usually saw in them. He cleared his throat. “Yes.”

She had been partly surprised he had said yes, but he asked for it. Gemma went on to list all the things he’d done already that just bugged her. There was him comforting Lottie when everything had first come out about Rocco. And he had made her cupcakes to make her feel better. Hadn’t Gemma been asking for baked goods since day 1? On top of that, he was avoiding talking to her following Kiss and Tell. He could have talked to her about how he was feeling instead of avoiding her and comforting other people. He had even comforted Marisol when she was fighting with Gary before everything came out about Rocco. Then there was the inescapable fact that he had been a shoulder to Priya since she had walked into the villa. Gemma could take out the kiss and still be upset. He had worn her dress in the challenge after telling Gemma he did not need her help. He had been just as much a part of helping Priya turn Noah’s head to break him and Hope up. That last part was almost the stray that broke the camel’s back. It was as if he did not consider her feelings at all. He just did whatever he liked and worried about everyone else.

Bobby stared at her in silence. She could tell that he had no idea what to say and she was starting to cry again. It was all way too much. All way too familiar. She was in another relationship where she was not the priority. Another relationship where her feelings were made to seem insignificant or like they did not matter. Another relationship where she felt like she was giving everything she could and not getting the same in return. She had made someone a priority when he had not given her the same consideration. This was exactly the pattern that she was trying to avoid. She had known that something about Bobby was wrong for her and had let herself start to fall anyway. Only this wasn’t even a relationship. It was stupid bullshit on a reality show. Now that she had started, she couldn’t stop.

“You literally fucked me this morning so I was out of the way for your little plan with Priya to turn Noah’s head!”

“I didn’t mean for that to happen!”

“But you didn’t stop it, did you?” Gemma’s eyes narrowed at Bobby for his lame attempt at an excuse.

“Of course not, being with you like that feels so right.”

Gemma cut him off before he could spout off some bullshit about how much he cared. “Then today, during a challenge, I find out that you kissed her. You kissed someone else while pretending to be all hurt my ex was in here.”

“It sucks when things come out in challenges, but…”

“Don’t you fucking dare say you understand how I’m feeling! You found out shit from my past that I hadn’t shared with you yet. Because we’ve known each other less than two weeks and I haven’t shared everything with you. It’s not like I was keeping some big, huge secret or even something that had happened during our time in here. It’s not the fucking same as you _making out_ with someone else on the show and letting a challenge tell me instead of manning the fuck up and saying it yourself! It’s not the same. Dammit, Bobby, do you even give a shit about me?”

There was silence hanging between them at her words. She was hurt and desperate for him to have an explanation. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at him. He looked down at his feet to avoid her eyes. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft.

“Of course I do.”

“You’ve not got a very good way of showing it.”

“I know it’s a problem. It’s been a problem for me in the past. I don’t like to see anyone hurting or fighting and I just want to fix it. I hate the drama and in staying out of it, I know that I’ve hurt girls I’ve dated in the past.”

“I find it a little ironic you don’t want drama or fighting or anyone to be upset, and yet you helped Priya come up with a plan to mess with Hope and Noah.”

Gemma knew that it was a cold observation to make, but she also could not help it. How could he not see how fucked up his logic was in what he had done?

“I didn’t think about it.”

“You didn’t think about a lot of things, it seems, including how I would feel about any of it.”

“I’m sorry, Gemma.”

“Have I given you any reason to doubt me? Have I made you think I wasn’t invested in this?”

“What?” The sudden change of course seemed to have caught Bobby off guard.

“Did you not hear me?”

“No I did. It was just…never mind, no, you’ve given me no reason to worry.”

“Have I made you feel like you couldn’t speak to me?”

“No, I’ve been really comfortable with you.”

“Then what the fuck happened, Bobby? What did I do to deserve this?”

“I…I don’t know.”

“Well, you’d better get to figuring that out.”

The words said, and even unsaid, were hanging heavy between the two of them. Gemma was not sure what else she had left in her to say and even less sure of what Bobby might have left in him to hear. This is how she was. She was all in on something, she did not know how to go halfway. She had wanted so badly for this time to be different. All she wanted was someone to fight for her. She wanted to be so important to someone that he wouldn't just let go so easily. Was that asking too much? Or had she just chosen wrong again?

“Guys, I got a text!” came Hope’s voice from somewhere else in the villa. “We’ve all got to meet at the firepit for an announcement!”

Bobby and Gemma just looked at each other, their conversation ended by the arrival of the text. With a sigh, Gemma walked past Bobby without another word or glance and headed down to the firepit. They would have to finish this later and part of her was wondering what drama the producers had cooked up now.

The Islanders had gathered at the firepit after Hope received the text and were waiting for their next instructions. The text had said for the girls to take seats on the bench and the boys to line up on the other side of the firepit. This couldn’t be a surprise recoupling, could it? There should have been more notice. Marisol was smug as she looked at Rocco who was smiling back at her. A phone beeped and Lottie rose to her feet.

_“Islanders, it’s time for the girls to vote for which boy is most likely to leave with the girlfriend and which boy is least likely. You will have a few minutes to talk things out as a group, but will cast your decisions individually. Any boys receiving votes as least dateable will be at risk of being dumped from the Island. #boyfriendmaterial #getpicking”_

Silence seemed to have become the theme of the day as Lottie’s words hung in the air. Suddenly Marisol did not look so smug and the boys all looked nervously around at each other, with the exception of Bobby, who looked at his feet.

“Just like that? We have to vote for most and least dateable?” Lottie asked, her face looking pale.

“Seems you girls need some time to make your decisions, we’ll be over on the beanbags,” Noah said quietly and smiled at Hope before turning away.

One by one, the boys all followed Noah’s lead and headed over to the beanbags so that they would be out of earshot of the girls. None of the girls seemed to know what to say.

Hope finally kicked things off to talk about Noah, throwing some shade at Priya in her answer of wanting to keep him around, even though things had been rough the past few days. Priya admitted that she did not want to pursue things further with Rahim. Privately, Gemma wondered if he was really going to find someone here. His chat was kind of terrible and he was struggling to form connections. Rocco came up next and an argument briefly broke out between Lottie and Marisol as they argued who got to speak up about him first, with Lottie eventually winning out because they were technically still coupled up. Apparently, Marisol wanted the freedom to pursue him and wanted to keep him in.

“Honestly, Marisol, I really don’t see Rocco as the type to want to be tied down to a committed relationship. You’ve heard his stories, they’re all about wandering wherever his heart, and his food truck, take him. Can you see yourself doing that?” Gemma reasoned and Marisol crossed her legs.

“Maybe,” Marisol said defiantly which caused Gemma to roll her eyes.

“Let’s not forget, he cracked onto _all_ of us before deciding on you,” Lottie added.

“I want to be honest and upfront and say that I’m likely going to vote for Rocco as least dateable,” Gemma said.

“I think you’ve got enough problems of your own, don’t you? Maybe you shouldn’t be worrying about Rocco,” Marisol countered and Gemma was taken aback.

“That was uncalled for,” Hope chastised.

“I guess we’d better talk about Bobby then,” Gemma sighed. “I was in the middle of a chat to him when the text came so I’m not really sure where it all stands. I’m not sure if anyone else has something to add, though.”

Gemma’s eyes landed on Priya, who surprisingly looked up to meet Gemma’s eyes. Priya looked resigned and defeated. It was almost hard to remember Gemma was supposed to be mad at the older girl. Almost.

“I’m not planning to pursue anything with him,” Priya said quietly.

“I really don’t know if I can see anyone else putting up with him, besides Gemma. He’s rather immature,” Marisol said.

“More of your analysis, Mar?” Gemma said snidely. “I thought maybe the tweet would’ve put you off analyzing everyone.”

That caused a small argument to break out and Gemma knew that she should not have baited Marisol the way that she had. It had felt good, though, and really, she was not that sorry.

They moved onto talking about Gary, who had gotten a bit lost in the whole discussion. Lottie admitted that she really did want a chance to get to know him and said that they’d been bonding since the Kiss and Tell challenge. Marisol did not miss that the girls were far more receptive to this than they were to her and Rocco. That was when Hope reminded her that Marisol and Rocco had started _before_ the challenge, by Marisol’s own admission. As far as Lottie and Gary had said, nothing had happened between them yet. It was a very different situation.

The girls were just ready to make their decisions when they realized they had forgotten to talk about the new boys, Lucas and Henrik. Marisol was, surprisingly, all in favor of keeping Lucas around, which Gemma suspected was more to make her uncomfortable than because Marisol might fancy Lucas. Lottie made the case for Henrik getting to stay, saying that he was definitely a catch and he was good overall for the villa. Although Gemma did not say anything out loud, she agreed. Henrik was a good sort and he had a way of keeping everything light. Out loud, Gemma said that she did not really have an opinion either way, with everything else that was going on.

At that, the girls all pulled out their phones and cast their votes. They had separated enough on the bench that none of them could see what any of the others were texting. At the first prompt, Gemma entered Noah’s name, figuring that even if he did not leave with Hope, he was still a catch for someone. She knew from their chats that he was usually more of a serious relationship kind of guy rather than more casual things. He seemed likely to want to make it official with someone in here. The second prompt made Gemma pause. Anyone who received votes as least dateable was at risk for being dumped from the villa. She decided to cast the vote for Rocco. He tried to hit on anything that had a pulse. It should’ve been the easy choice.

After the last girl cast her vote, the boys all joined them back at the firepit. They seemed to be in good spirits talking about some ridiculous sounding game that they had just invented while sitting in the beanbags. Leave it to them to turn a tense situation more fun. Bobby was the only one who still looked down.

They waited in silence until a phone beeped. Gemma was waiting for someone else to grab their phone before she realized it was hers. She swallowed hard and stood.

“The boy who received the most votes and therefore receives the honor of most dateable is…Noah,” Gemma said, a genuine smile spreading on her face.

Hope could not contain a smile as she looked across at him, which he returned happily. Gemma’s phone beeped again and her stomach dropped before reading the text.

“The boys who received votes as least likely to leave with a girlfriend and at risk of leaving the villa are…” Gemma read and waited for the next text. Her phone beeped again and her eyes widened at the names. She cleared her throat. “Rocco…Ibrahim…and Bobby.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is the second chapter for this day and there's obviously one more coming, I promise I had a reason to my madness of spreading it out over several chapters. I hope you're enjoying the ride. Comments and kudos are always appreciated!


	19. There's No Going Back Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tensions are running high after the announcement that three of the original boys are now up for a public vote and risk being dumped from the villa. But how will our Islanders relieve those tensions?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I blame Red for all the smut in this chapter haha that's all I really have to say. Hope you enjoy it!
> 
> "You-you-you're just my type  
> Oh, you got a pulse and you are breathing  
> You-you-you're just my type  
> Ooh, I think it's time that we get leaving  
> You-you-you're just my type..."
> 
> My Type - Saint Motel

Unlike the previous messages, everyone broke out into discussion at this one. Priya looked tearfully at Ibrahim, wondering if she had been responsible for someone voting for him. Marisol went off on the girls about voting for Rocco despite her asking for him to stay. Gemma’s eyes found Bobby’s and she was surprised to see how angry he looked. Another text chimed out.

“Wait you lot, I’ve got a text,” Hope called and held up her phone. “Rocco, Ibrahim, and Bobby, as the boys who received votes as least dateable, you will now face a public vote. Whoever receives the least votes risks getting dumped from the villa.”

“What the hell, Gemma? You’re miffed at me so you just vote me least dateable? Figure it’s an easy way to get rid of me? Now I’m at risk for getting dumped because of you!” Bobby shot at her and all other chatter died down.

“Are you kidding me? You’re going to be all aggy at me now? With what you’ve done?” Gemma asked.

“Aye, but I wasn’t the one acting all petty, was I?”

“No, you’re just the coward too afraid to tell me what you’d done, running around acting like a poor, pitiful puppy over my ex being in here when I’ve hardly spoken to him. Oh, and Bobby? I didn’t fucking put your name down, but nice to know you jumped down my throat without a second thought!”

“I…you, wait what?” Bobby spluttered the words out.

“I didn’t say you for least dateable,” Gemma confirmed.

“Bet you’re regretting that now,” Marisol commented.

“Marisol, seriously, haven’t you done enough already? Can you just pipe down for like 2 fucking seconds?” Gemma fired back.

“Gemma, I’m really sorry for assuming…” Bobby started and Gemma was quick to cut him off.

“There’s a lot you’re ‘really sorry’ for at the moment and you know what? I’m just done. I’m done with all this. So forget us needing to finish our chat from earlier. I need someone who puts me first and you just…can’t,” Gemma said and stalked off away from the firepit, leaving shocked faces behind her.

"What just happened?" Gary asked. "Does that mean Noah, Lucas, Henrik, and I are all safe?"

"Not the time, babes," Lottie said, looking almost pityingly at his question.

\-------------------------------------

Bobby had taken as much as he could in the way of beer from the fridge and was trying to drown the memory of Gemma telling him that he was done. They weren’t supposed to drink too much, but he was hoping that they producers would let it slide today. He was at risk of being sent home and had lashed out at Gemma. Realizing she had not voted him as least dateable had him feeling like an idiot rather than feeling better. She really was way too good for him. Part of him had just been waiting for a blow up like this.

He knew he ought to have gone after her after what she said. He knew that he was being stupid for not going after her. There was a part of him that didn’t know where to even start with her anymore. She was too good for him and he knew it. He felt like everyone knew it. Maybe he was being crazy. Gemma was right when she said she’d never given him a reason to doubt her. Through everything, she always checked with him, always made sure he understood. How had it gotten so fucked up in a matter of days?

Hidden in a corner of the villa, Bobby sipped his beer and tried to continue hiding. After Gemma had walked off, Hope and Noah had gone off too, likely also for a chat. Marisol had pulled Rocco off and Lottie had gone off to chat to Henrik and Lucas. Poor Ibrahim. His couple had also gotten blown up by that tweet, even though it had been clear that Priya was already done in that relationship after making the pass at Noah, Bobby still felt bad that it did not seem that Rahim had anyone in his corner. He and Gary worked out a lot together, though, so maybe Gary would come through.

As he continued to sip, he wondered more if he should go speak to Gemma. She had said that she was done. Was she the type of girl that wanted someone to fight for her though? He tried to think of what she had said about previous relationships. In that area, she was rather closed off, which he guessed had to do with prior pain. Part of him wondered if he should seek out Lucas for advice. Even if Gemma was done with the posh idiot, he had known Gemma for years and likely knew what she had been through in prior relationships. Could he actually talk to Lucas, though? Bobby was trying to formulate a plan when Priya stumbled into his hiding spot.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were back here.”

“Seems like we both had the same though of hiding,” Bobby responded with a sad smile.

“I’ll just leave you then.”

“You don’t have to, you know what they say, misery loves company.”

Priya gave him a look for a moment before shrugging and sitting down. They were sat close on the bench that was hidden from most other places in the villa. People rarely came back here. There were better places in the villa to hide and be more comfortable.

“Quite a mess, isn’t it?”

Bobby took another sip of his beer and nodded slowly. “Aye, it is.”

“I’m sorry for dragging you into it.”

“You didn’t exactly drag me, I was just as much a part of that kiss as you and just as much part of the plan.”

“Do you think she’ll forgive you?” Priya’s warm brown eyes searched Bobby’s for an answer.

“Do you think Rahim will forgive you?” He was not ready to answer her question.

“No, but I also don’t think I want him to. So it’s a bit different.”

“I’m not sure she’ll forgive me either, not after how I blew up at her at the firepit in front of everyone.”

“You’re at risk to be sent home and you’d just had a fight with Gemma, tensions were high.”

“Aye, but she’s right. I knew she’d never do something like that. It’s not her.”

Priya sighed and shook her head. “I suspect it was Marisol. Or maybe Hope, I suppose. But, I thought she might’ve picked Rahim.”

Bobby sighed heavily. “It really doesn’t matter.”

“I suppose not.”

They both sat in silence for several minutes, just listening to the muted sounds of the villa. There were raised voices again, which sounded like Hope and Noah. The sun was starting to set and on any other occasion, it would have made the surroundings prettier. Now, Bobby could not appreciate it. He had not noticed that Priya had turned to him.

“What are you thinking?”

“About what? Gemma?”

“About any of this, really. I can’t imagine what you’re going through with the thought you might be about to go home.”

“Honestly, it might be a bit of a relief if I were sent home.”

“Don’t say that.” There were tears in the corner of Priya’s eyes.

“I’ve mucked everything up with Gemma so badly that I doubt I’ll be able to fix it. I don’t want to watch her fall for another bloke. I never really deserved her in the first place.”

“I don’t think you see yourself properly.” Priya’s voice was so quiet that he had barely heard her.

“Aye, I do. I fuck everything up.”

“You make mistakes, you’re human. But you’re a good person. You’re kind, funny, compassionate…beautiful.”

Priya looked away and blushed at her last admission. Not for the first time, Bobby was wondering how things would have been different if he had not asked Priya not to pick him when she first came in. He wondered what it would have been like to not have pursued the most popular girl in the villa. Priya was also gorgeous and had not really had much luck so far. Had he made a mistake in trying to chase after Gemma? Was he wrong for what she needed? His mind was swimming with the thoughts of the last couple days.

Bobby finally spoke, breaking the silence and his own internal struggles. “I’m sorry you’ve had such a hard go of it in here.”

“It’s my own fault, really. I came in here saying I’d be true to myself and really, I haven’t been.”

“How so?”

“I made the easy choice when I picked Rahim on that second day. And then I made the easy choice again when I focused on him, confident he’d pick me at the first recoupling. At best, he was only ever my third choice.”

“Well, it’s not too late to be true to yourself.”

“Isn’t it though?” Priya looked sad and resigned.

“No, Priya, it’s not. You’re still here and there’s bound to be new people again soon. Anything could change at this point.”

“But one of the boys who really caught my eye is up for being dumped…along with my current partner, all because of the mess we made.”

“I don’t blame you for me being in the bottom.” Bobby was not sure what to do about Priya’s admission.

“Since you’re in the bottom, can I admit something?” Priya’s eyes were guarded but hopeful as she asked this question.

“Aye.” It was all Bobby could manage as he swallowed hard.

“I don’t regret us kissing on the terrace, I wish I could’ve had more time with you.”

Bobby had no idea what he was supposed to say to that. Earlier he would have definitely said that he regretted kissing Priya. He had a good thing going with Gemma and he had let his own insecurities get in the way of that. Now, though? Everything seemed to have changed. He did not see how Gemma was going to forgive him and part of him did not blame her.

Unconsciously Bobby leaned over to Priya and stopped just shy of pressing his lips to hers, unsure of what he was doing. Priya leaned forward to press her lips against his, softly at first. But then it was like both of them just let go. Their mouths parted at the same time, tongues starting to tangle together and Priya ran her hand up the back of Bobby’s neck and into his hair. One of Bobby’s hands rested on Priya’s bare thigh, squeezing it as his other arm wound around her back. Their kiss was frantic and full of the frustration they were both feeling.

Where Bobby had known that he had to stop the kiss the night before, he had nothing telling him that he was supposed to stop this time. Gemma had said she was done, so why shouldn’t he just do something to make him feel better? Priya was beautiful and she wanted him. It just made sense.

Priya slid into Bobby’s lap, straddling him as she now had a hand on either side of his face. He ran his hands down her sides, feeling her shiver slightly under his touch and rested his hands on her full hips, gripping them tightly. There were only thin bits of bathing suit fabric separating their bodies and Bobby felt himself beginning to react to Priya straddling him.

In the back of his mind, he knew that it wasn’t even dark yet and that anyone could find them at any moment but as she grinded herself into his lap, it was the furthest thing from his mind. She broke their kiss and Bobby groaned involuntarily. Priya nearly smirked at him as she leaned back in to nip at his earlobe before moving down one side of his neck with sloppy, open-mouthed kisses. She continued to rock back and forth in his lap and he moaned again. Surely by now she could feel that his dick was hard. As her lips crashed back into his, he slid his hands to her ass and squeezed, eliciting a small moan out of Priya.

Bobby pulled back and saw a moment of confusion cross Priya’s face, which was otherwise filled with naked lust. “We should move locations, somewhere a little more…private.”

Bobby heard the desire in his own voice and saw that Priya seemed to think on it for a moment.

“Are you…sure?”

“Yes.” Bobby had answered the second she finished asking.

The confusion left Priya’s face immediately and she pulled herself off of Bobby, holding out her hand to help him up as well. They snuck back into the villa, somehow managing it without being seen. There was a small storage room in the back of the villa that they weren’t technically supposed to use, but Bobby hoped that they would go unnoticed with everything else going on.

Priya closed the door behind them and her lips crashed back into his. It was dark and it took a moment for both of their eyes to adjust to the dim light. Bobby pressed Priya back into the wall, their kiss passionate. Priya grabbed Bobby’s hips and pulled his body tight against her. Bobby broke the kiss and started kissing down Priya’s neck, reaching her cleavage and her surgically perfect boobs. With her help, he removed the top her bathing suit, sucking one of her nipples into his mouth.

“Jesus Bobby,” Priya breathed out in a moan as she arched her back into Bobby’s mouth.

She tangled her hands in his dreads as she moaned and he continued to suck and bite at her nipples. Removing one hand from his dreads, Priya reached down to gently rub his still hardening dick through his shorts. The material of his bathing suit was tight already and only tighter as he stiffened. He moaned onto her nipple, causing goosebumps to form on her skin. She flattened her hand on his stomach and slid it underneath his waistband, carefully wrapping her slender fingers around his cock and stroking.

“Fuck me, Priya,” Bobby hissed.

“That’s the plan, love,” Priya purred back seductively.

It took Bobby a split second to process what she had said and he nearly growled. He roughly turned Priya around, enjoying the gasp that escaped her lips. He pushed his own shorts down before reaching for Priya’s bikini bottoms, which she helped him remove. He pressed down on her upper back so that she was slightly bent over, back arched. Without guidance from Bobby, Priya spread her legs a little bit. He took this as the only invitation he needed. He ripped the wrapper of the condom that he had grabbed and quickly rolled it onto his dick.

Priya wiggled her butt as he was putting on the condom and Bobby gave it a little smack, not worrying about being careful with her. It caused her to flinch and moan out just a little. They were both using this to work out frustrations, at least that’s what Bobby had thought. He guided himself to her entrance and thrust into her, causing Priya to further arch her back.

“Fuck,” Priya said in a drawn out voice.

With one hand on her hip, Bobby put his other hand over her mouth, hushing her in the process. She nodded and moved her own hand up to cover her own mouth, her other hand against the wall, bracing herself. Having both hands free, Bobby used them to grip her hips and thrust hard into her. As he thrust fully into her, she pushed herself back, meeting his pace. The pace was fast and Bobby knew that he was not going to last long. He felt his frustrations pouring out of him as he reached forward to grab a hold of one of Priya’s boobs, pinching her nipple hard and being rewarded as she groaned into her hand.

Bobby slid his hand down and found her clit, using a finger to start circling it as he continued to thrust hard into her. His breath was getting ragged and he was trying not to moan out himself. After all, they were still in a villa full of people. He felt Priya’s body beginning to spasm with her release and pulled his hand back so he had a good grip on her hips. His own thrusts became erratic as he worked through her release. He followed right after her and he stilled. Priya took over, slowly pushing back into him to allow him his release. Bobby leaned forward onto Priya, still inside her, as they breathed heavily for a couple minutes.

After they had caught their breath, Bobby carefully slid himself out of her and pulled the condom off, wrapping it up so he could dispose of it. They both looked at each other and smiled, completely satisfied by what happened. They pulled their bathing suits back on in silence.

“I can honestly say I wasn’t expecting that,” Bobby finally said and Priya smirked, throwing him a wink.

“Seems like we both needed it, I’ll see you out there,” Priya said quietly, her voice raspy. She slipped out and Bobby followed right after.

They walked together for a minute in silence before splitting off to go their separate ways, trying not to raise any suspicion. Bobby knew that he should feel bad about what had just happened, but he was feeling a lot of relief. That had gotten rid of all the tension he’d been feeling. Nothing could possibly get worse, so he at least could enjoy himself.

Well, he thought nothing would get worse. He had not seen Gemma, with Lucas just behind her, noticing them leaving from a hidden corner of the villa together. And he could not possibly know both Gemma and Lucas had heard the noises from that storage room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all the Bobby fans, know that I love him too and I hope you don't hate me!


	20. Double Dumping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for the Islanders to find out which two boys are headed home after facing a public vote.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone that's been reading along with me, you're amazing and your feedback means the world.
> 
> This chapter is largely thanks to Tori, who gave me the encouragement to head down this path.

Gemma was sitting on a stool at the kitchen counter, more spaced out than anything else. She knew that she needed to have something for breakfast, which was why she had come out here, but she could not focus long enough to really trust herself to make something edible without burning the villa down. It had been at that moment that Lucas had wandered out, also apparently unable to sleep in, and offered to make them breakfast. Nothing other than the sheer shock of him offering to cook something could have broken her inner monologue long enough for her to say yes, before disappearing into herself again. Lucas did not cook. He had never cooked in the time that she dated him and had made it very clear that cooking for dates was not his style. 

Under any other circumstances, Gemma would have thought about what this picture looked like to anyone else. Today she just did not have it in her to care. She also was barely aware of what was happening around her. After breakfast, which Gemma barely registered beyond it being hot, Bobby approached and asked if they could talk. It was with a heavy sigh that she agreed and followed him over to the daybeds. 

This was the last thing that she wanted to be doing. As far as she was concerned, there was nothing left to say. Bobby had crossed the line that they could not come back from. Was that what he wanted to talk about? They sat in silence for a moment as Gemma waited for him to say what was on his mind. He did not, though.

“Well?” Gemma asked and Bobby looked surprised. 

“I thought we should talk,” Bobby said.

“About what?”

“About us.”

“Is there still an us?” 

Bobby flinched at Gemma’s words and she realized that she could have been a little more careful in the way that she phrased that. After all, Bobby did not know that Gemma had seen him and Priya exiting some corner of the villa the day before.

“I know I really upset you about what happened with Priya and the kiss…”

“It’s not just the kiss though, is it? And that’s the problem.”

The exhaustion set in again. She could not do this over and over again. They were supposed to talk about their feelings and their relationships, but it was all too much right now. 

“No, I know there were some other things you’d said yesterday that had frustrated you.”

Gemma looked at him almost exasperated. “So it was just the kiss and the things that I saw yesterday when we fought?”

“I’m not sure what else there would be.”

“I want you to think really hard.”

“Gemma, I’m not a mind reader.” 

That was it. In that moment, she was just done. There was nothing left to say. “Where did you go after the announcement yesterday of who was in the bottom?”

At first Bobby’s face was just confused as he thought. Then, as his eyes met Gemma’s and saw the hurt reflected back at him, realization dawned on him. His mouth went dry. “Gigi, how did you…? I mean, did someone...say something to you.”

“Lucas and I had walked into the living area…”

“You and Lucas, of course.”

“Really, McKenzie? Do you really think that’s appropriate right now?”

Bobby flinched again at the use of his last name. He swallowed hard and shook his head, allowing her to continue.

“I’d asked him if he had seen you because I wanted to chat and we were looking all over. We heard some moans coming out of that back room and hurried back off to the living room, not wanting whoever it was to think we were perving. You and Priya didn’t even notice us sat there when you were leaving. And I didn’t say anything, I was too shocked to even move.”

They both sat in total silence. Bobby was stunned that he had somehow missed Gemma when he was leaving with Priya before they split off. The last few days had been like nothing he would have ever expected coming in here. People had said the villa could mess with your mind, but he did not even recognize himself. 

“I...I don't know what to say,” Bobby admitted and Gemma just shook her head.

“Were you even going to tell me?”

“I wasn’t sure how.”

“We’ve been here before.” Gemma let out a humorless laugh and stood up. “I really don’t know there’s anything else to be said.”

“So...it’s over?”

“Yes, Bobby, it is definitely over.”

Gemma walked away without looking back. She did not want him to see that she was crying. It would only make it harder and she worried that he would try to win her back. More than that, she was worried that she would let him. From the moment she met him, she had been worried that he was exactly the wrong boy for her. She had gone done the path anyway and ignored everything inside her that was screaming at her to be careful. It was all too familiar, too painful, too close to the reason that she had so much trouble in trusting anyone. 

She wandered into the kitchen, intent on doing something with her hands, when she ran into Noah, who seemed to have had the same idea. Gemma realized that they had not talked as much with everything else going on. She had not talked to Hope much either and made a mental note to fix it. 

“I was just making a cuppa, do you want one?” Noah offered and Gemma smiled with a nod as she slid onto a stool on the other side of the counter. 

“How are you?” Noah asked.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Gemma deflected. 

“Maybe, but I asked you first,” Noah said, not letting her get out of it. 

“Honestly, I have no idea how to feel. It’s gotten a lot worse than the kiss,” Gemma said and avoided Noah’s gaze as he looked up from the kettle.

“Are you going to forgive him?” Noah asked.

Gemma was silent for several minutes and Noah did not press her to answer. Was she going to forgive him? She had been down this road before of never feeling like she was good enough for someone to pick her side. She had been down it too many times. Was Bobby just like the others? Really, she did not know him well enough to say. On the one hand, they’d known each other barely more than two weeks. On the other hand, this whole process magnified everything and maybe he really just wasn’t who she needed in her life.

“I don’t know,” Gemma said finally.

“Want to talk about it?” Noah asked and Gemma turned to look at him. There was nothing but concern for her written all over his face. He didn’t have an agenda. He just cared about his friend.

“Not here in the kitchen,” Gemma answered.

Noah nodded and finished making them their tea, which Gemma accepted even though he was awful at it. As soon as he had handed over the mug, he suggested that they go up to the roof terrace. Gemma followed silently until they were sitting next to each other on the familiar bench. She let out a breath she felt like she had been holding since the challenge the day before.

Without realizing she had even made the decision, Gemma started pouring her heart out to him. She told him about her ex-fiancee who had all but shattered what was left of her heart. He had known everything that she had been through. They had been friends for years before they ever dated. So he knew all of her secrets, her insecurities, her fears, her triggers. They fell fast because they already loved each other as friends. Gemma, who was always so careful about not letting her walls down, found them crumbling so fast with him. How could someone that had been such a good friend ever possibly break her? What was the point in spending so much time around her to ruin her? 

She told him about her father and how he had promised that he would never let her down. Gemma had been the one to catch him cheating on her mother when she was just 14 years old. He promised Gemma that he was going to change, promised her that it was over between him and the other woman. They were going to be a family again and everything was going to be good. It had lasted for a year with everything seeming to be okay. Then, he started taking longer business trips again, he stopped coming with Gemma to all of her competitions, he started working late hours. That was when the extravagant gifts started. Jewelry, fancy clothes, a car, even money deposited into accounts for when she was older. What was she supposed to do as a teenager? Gemma did the only thing she could think of, go out a lot and keep her mind off of things at home. When she wasn’t going out, she was throwing herself into choreography and training for the next competition. The couple partners she worked with at the time along with the instructors could tell something was going on, but her dancing had never been better or more expressive, and so nobody said anything.

Gemma had never been particularly close with any of the other girls at the studio. She had always been one of the favorites and had always received the most attention. Despite that, she had always worked hard not to let it go to her head. It was easy to fall from the top if you got complacent and stopped working. The hard work ethic earned her even fewer friends among the other girls as it became clear she was not going to give up her top spot. They tried to sabotage her as girls tended to do, but Gemma hardly noticed. She just paid them no mind and kept to herself. It got lonely at times without anyone else who really understood. Talking to the guys about personal stuff never really worked either. So, she kept everything to herself. 

At 19 she had fallen for an older guy, in his early thirties. It seemed perfect at the time because Gemma was busy competing in ballroom competitions and did not have a lot of free time. Harvey worked at a bank in management and sometimes kept long hours or had to go on business trips. Or that was what he told Gemma when he would be gone for days at a time without her hearing anything from him. That was when she found out, six months into the relationship, that he was actually already married with two young kids. It was a really low point for Gemma and she considered even calling it quits on her career as a dancer. Nothing made sense anymore. Everyone cheated and family apparently meant nothing. Gemma just wasn’t worth it, wasn’t worth being someone’s first choice.

She had met Callum while dating Harvey and they had become fast friends. He was focused and driven, something Gemma had admired about him. More than that, he was just looking to be her friend. There weren’t any hidden agendas. Callum was in university studying for a career in psychology. He had never been one to go out a lot. It was one of those friendships where they could go weeks without talking because they were both busy and then pick up as if no time had passed. He was honestly one of the best friends Gemma had ever had and had come into her life when she desperately needed someone like him. One night, he had asked her to come over for dinner and had seemed nervous. They had dinner all the time, but it felt different. He had cooked for them and even opened a bottle of wine. When he told her he had fallen for her, Gemma was silent for a moment before realizing somewhere in there she had fallen for him too. The best friendship she ever had now turned into what was sure to be the best relationship. 

At least, that was what Gemma figured would happen. She could not have been more wrong. Everything was great for the first few months. He was busy with his internships on his way to being able to practice. Gemma was still competing and training constantly or else teaching to help earn some extra money, not that she needed it, she just liked to be busy. After six months, they decided to move in together, even though it had not been that long. A week after moving in together, Callum proposed and Gemma accepted immediately. Some people said it was too soon and they were too young, but Gemma was happy. After all, they had been best friends first, so it made sense, right? Soon after, things started to go poorly and Gemma started to lose all the progress she had made over the past three and a half years of being friends with him then dating him. 

It started with little things. Gemma’s partner for competitions was straight and Callum would make comments about how it wasn’t natural for her to be pressed against another man like that. He had met her partner Antonio, though, and also had met Antonio’s girlfriend, Renata. That seemed to die down. Then the comments started when Gemma would post pictures on social media, mostly related to her competitions, and guys would like or comment. Callum would accuse her of trying to get attention from other men. How could Gemma be expected to police what guys said? It was all over her social media accounts that she was in a relationship and she often posted pictures of her and Callum with sappy captions. 

Then, the real manipulation started. Callum would show up at her rehearsals randomly and unannounced, wanting to know who every guy there was and why he was there. He would go into her phone and read her messages, request the passwords to her social media accounts. He started going out, which he had never done before, and refusing to answer her when he was out. She could not even ask who he was going out with without being accused of not trusting him, while she was always expected to check in with him constantly when they weren’t together. Callum stopped letting her go out with her friends if there were going to be other guys there. It did not matter that they were just friends, that they had girlfriends, or even if they weren’t interested in women at all. It got to the point where all Gemma was allowed to do was go to rehearsal or teach her lessons and come straight home. One of the worst things was when she had to make up an excuse to turn down an opportunity to appear on a new season of Strictly Come Dancing because Callum did not trust her to be away for rehearsals and paired with some celebrity he did not know. 

Callum, in turn, got increasingly secretive. He always kept his phone turned over so the screen was facing down and he would leave the room any time someone called. He would never leave his phone sitting around if he was not in the room. And he was going out even more, sometimes not even bothering to come home or let Gemma know that he would not be home. She did not know who to talk to. When the two of them did go out together, she was constantly afraid of what he was going to say. Was her outfit too revealing? Was she being too friendly? Was she inviting guys to look at her? Or did her outfit make her look fat? Was it too slutty? For the first time in her life, she truly hated her body and wished she did not have curves. Looking back, what she hated the most was how desperate she became to please him. 

Everything with them had been so sweet at the beginning. Callum would surprise her with flowers or something small. He would relish in running his hands over her curves, seeming to worship her body. They would spend hours in bed, learning every inch of each other. But, later in the relationship, when everything turned to shit, it would be like he was constantly mad at her. He would throw her down on the bed, rip off her clothes, flip her over onto her stomach, and roughly enter her. His thrusts would be hard and fast until he finished and then he would leave the room without a word. Yet, she stayed. She did not think she was worth more. It was all her fault that he was doing this to her. She had done something to anger him and it was her responsibility to fix it. She got distant from everyone, stopped returning calls, stopped leaving the house, even put dancing on hold. They were engaged and yet had not even planned really anything for the wedding.

In some ways, discovering Callum had been cheating, with a mutual friend at that, was one of the best things that could have happened. Although she believed him at the time and forgave him, thinking again she had done something wrong, she soon realized that he had been cheating for a long time and likely with a lot of women. Finally, Gemma snapped from the trance. This was it, she had to leave and she had to do it while he was out of the house. She called her two remaining friends, the only two she trusted, who were there in a second and they packed everything up as quickly as possible. She was gone before he was home again and she changed her number so she would never fall victim to it again. 

Gemma went silent after talking herself hoarse in telling Noah everything. He was really the first person she had shared so much with so far in the villa and she was worried it had been a mistake. There were still cameras everywhere and they had their mic packs on. And then there was the fact that Noah was dealing with his own issues. It was a lot for anyone to hear, why had she dumped it on him? Ugh. This whole thing was a nightmare. Just as Gemma was preparing herself to run away and hide, Noah stood and stepped toward her, pulling her to her feet as well. He wrapped his arms around her and Gemma stood so he could get his arms around her properly. Without saying anything, he held her tight against his chest and let her sob quietly. He rubbed a hand up and down her back, softly trying to soothe her. Everything was there in that embrace. He understood how broken she had been and understood what she had been through. There was no judgment. It was just a friend being there for another friend. 

“God, you must think I’m crazy,” Gemma said, after she finally pulled away from the long embrace. 

“No, I think you carry a lot on your shoulders without letting anyone help you,” Noah said and Gemma hung her head. “I get it, though. How can you possibly trust anyone after all that?”

Gemma looked up at him, eyes wide at the realization that he had instantly gotten it. She actually smiled, feeling so thankful. He understood. He saw that it was not her fault and that she had not done anything wrong. He accepted what she had been through without seeming to feel the need to change it. That was what she had felt in his embrace. It was like he had been telling her it was okay to feel everything she was feeling. And in that moment, when she should have been happy, she also felt sad and could not explain why.

Quickly, Gemma tried to change the topic of conversation to how things were with Hope and Noah. They had been fighting more lately and knew the tweet about them not being right for each other had rattled them both. But, Gemma had been so caught up in everything with Bobby that she had not given the time to her friends to help them through it. Noah, unsurprisingly, said they would have plenty of time to chat about him and Hope and instead suggested they rejoin the others, before someone noticed how long they’d been gone.

\-----------------------------------------

Apparently, the votes were in. They had gotten the text to gather at the firepit. The girls along with the boys were not in danger, were sat on the bench. Bobby, Rocco, and Ibrahim stood before them, on the other side of the fire. The texts so far had not been clear. Were two boys going home or was just one boy getting dumped? Gemma felt confident that Rocco would be headed home, but she also knew that the producers could have been picking and choosing anything to show. She wondered how Bobby had come across. When she met his eyes across the fire, her stomach fell. There was nothing in his eyes except for resignation at what had happened. She was not sure if that made her feel better or worse. Worse, she thought after a moment, definitely worse.

A text chimed out, breaking the silence. It was Priya. She looked like she would have rather been anywhere else as she stood.

“Islanders, the votes are in! The two boys who received the least votes will now be dumped from the villa. The two boys going home are…”

Priya paused, waiting for the next text to come. The wait seemed like an eternity. Gemma reached out and grasped Hope’s hand without even realizing what she was doing. Her friend squeezed back, neither taking their eyes off the boys in danger. Another text chimed out and Priya sighed as she opened it. She was quiet for a moment, a tear streaming down her face. Gemma’s eyes were locked on Bobby and so she did not even notice.

“Ibrahim…and Bobby.”

Gemma had spent the better part of yesterday and today mad at Bobby for what he had done and thinking that she would never be able to forgive him. Then the reality hit. Her reaction to what he had done was likely what sealed his fate. If things had been different, the public would never had voted for him to be dumped. She knew that all the Islanders around her were talking but she could not register what any of them was saying. She also vaguely heard another text and what sounded like Ibrahim’s voice above the others, maybe reading out the text. She was in a daze. Was this what she wanted? Was this what was good for her? To have Bobby just leave?

She had not noticed the moment that all the other Islanders left the firepit, but she was now sitting alone, with only Bobby. He reached over to her face and wiped a tear that she had not even noticed away from her eye. 

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly and it was enough to break into her thoughts.

“Shouldn’t I be the one apologizing?”

“What for?” Bobby looked confused at why Gemma should be apologizing.

“I’m not the one leaving.”

“Aye, you’re not, but I’ve nobody to blame but myself.”

Gemma chewed on her bottom lip, unsure of what to say. “I could have been more understanding about the kiss. It was just a kiss, after all.”

“I don’t blame you for any of this, it isn’t your fault.” 

“I really am sorry you’re leaving.” Gemma was having a hard time even meeting Bobby’s eye.

“I’ve had a lot of time to think over the past few days, lass, and I think…I think this might be a good thing.”

“What do you mean?!” 

“I was never right for you and I think we’ve both known it all along. You’re an amazing person and I think I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop…it’s not an excuse, but…” He trailed off, seemingly unsure what to say next.

“I get it, I think. And the kiss, I could have gotten over, but…” Gemma sighed heavily and Bobby just looked sad.

“Aye, I know you never would’ve gotten over that.”

“Well, I suppose nothing more that we can do now.”

Gemma stood and Bobby followed suit, grabbing one of her hands. She turned back to face him, not pulling her hand away from him, but just looking at him in confusion. 

“I’m so happy to have met you, Gemma, I mean that. I feel like I’ve learned so much just in the time we were together.”

“I feel that too.” Gemma smiled despite everything that had happened.

“Just…do me a favor, will you?” 

Bobby had suddenly gone very serious and Gemma’s eyebrows raised in confusion. His tone seemed so at odds with the current situation.

“Erm, yeah, of course.”

“Make sure you keep your eyes open to any possibility in here. Sometimes the person you don’t even know you need is the one right in front of you.”

With that strange declaration, Bobby was off in the direction of the villa. Gemma assumed it was to pack his things, not realizing that he had already done that. He had known from the moment he landed in the bottom that he would be going home. There was a lot that happened inside the villa that never got shown. Bobby knew this would not have been one of those cases. This was the kind of drama that they all lived for. Even if they could not show the bits on TV, they could show enough to let the viewers realize what had happened.

Gemma was really not sure where to go from here and still equally unsure how she felt that Bobby was walking out of the villa. She had known the summer would be intense, but had not been expecting this. Really, though, all she could think about was his parting advice. It had left her more confused than anything and unsure what was coming next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all the Bobby stans - I'M SORRY! Trust me when I say that this has been as hard for me to write as I'm sure it is to read. 
> 
> I hope you still enjoy it and will continue on this crazy ride with me. As always, your comments and kudos are appreciated!


	21. The Day After the Night Before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our Islanders said goodbye to two of the original boys the night before and are hoping for a quiet day. But, of course, it's never quiet. Two of the girls get to pick the boy of their choice for a date and then it's time to recouple. Will everything go according to plan?

Gemma woke up alone in her bed, which was not the first time she had woken up alone since coming to the villa, but this time felt different. She was honestly not sure how she felt about the public deciding to send Bobby home the prior night. He had made mistakes, sure, but was she being too hard on him? Was she expecting too much from someone on a reality show about dating? She wasn’t sure if her past experiences, and especially Callum, were coloring her impressions of people in the villa.

As Gemma was deciding if she wanted to get out of bed or not, the lights came on and were met by the usual groans. She figured that she might as well take advantage and get an early start on getting ready for the day. By the time she was showered and dressed, most of the others were just stumbling into the dressing room. Noticeably absent was Hope and Gemma realized that she had not been able to speak with her closest friend much with everything else happening. She wandered outside and immediately spotted Hope in the kitchen, looking into the refrigerator as if expecting something to magically appear.

“Hey,” Gemma said quietly as she approached. Hope started a little before easing at the sight of Gemma.

“I was going to make breakfast for you and Noah and I, but I’ve no idea what to make,” Hope admitted with a sigh.

“And didn’t you once say you burnt instant gravy?” Gemma prompted, causing Hope to swat at Gemma’s arm.

“And you said you’d not hold it against me.”

Gemma burst into giggles and shrugged. “I lied.”

“You’re awful.”

“No, I’m here to save breakfast, go sit and talk to me while I cook.”

Hope beamed as she hugged her friend and skipped around to sit on one of the stools. She rested her head on her hand and looked at Gemma. “I take back you being awful.”

“I think you must’ve planned this.”

Both girls laughed as Gemma walked to the refrigerator and started taking inventory of what they had. She figured that she would do something more comforting given that they’d had a rough few days. Pancakes and sausage seemed to be the perfect order for the morning. Quietly, she got to work.

“How are you feeling?” Hope’s voice was quiet, full of concern.

It was a hard question to answer and Gemma said as much to Hope. She was not sure how she was feeling. On the one hand, she felt completely betrayed by the kiss and then by Bobby’s accusation and him fucking Priya to top it all off. On the other hand, she wondered if maybe she’d made too big a deal out of the kiss. It wasn’t fair to paint everyone with the same brush after what she had gone through with Callum. She wondered if it was possible that if she had not reacted the way she did to Bobby kissing Priya and then keeping it secret that he would not have done what he had two days ago.

Hope was quick to assure Gemma that even if she had overreacted, which Hope did not feel Gemma had, there wasn’t an excuse for Bobby having sex with Priya in the back storage room while still coupled up with Gemma. As mad as Gemma had been, that had not really been a break-up, Hope insisted, and Bobby was out of line. Hope then went off onto a rant about Bobby and how he should have done things differently and how Gemma was too good for him anyway.

As Hope ranted, Gemma found herself genuinely smiling for what felt like the first time in days. This friendship had been what she was missing. With both girls going through their own drama, they had not had as much time to support each other. Gemma knew that this was Love Island and that ultimately she was here to find someone she was compatible with long term. But, in that moment, she knew she could leave and just be thankful to have made a friend like Hope.

Although Hope and Noah were having their own problems, Hope instead focused on Gemma, wondering if she was going to be okay. It was the second time in less than 24 hours that one of them had focused more on her than on themselves. Just as Gemma was finishing up breakfast, Noah wandered out and headed over, giving Hope a kiss on the cheek before smiling at Gemma.

“Breakfast is ready,” Gemma declared and Noah smiled more broadly.

“This looks incredible,” Noah mused.

“Yeah, well, you’re lucky I got here before this one could do too much damage,” Gemma said and smiled warmly at Hope.

“It would’ve been fine,” Hope said with an eye roll but was also smiling.

“I’ll just leave you to it and take my breakfast elsewhere,” Gemma said, picking up her plate.

“Don’t be ridiculous, you have to eat with us,” Hope said.

Gemma was about to protest when Noah cut her off, also insisting that she eat with them. It was fair to say that Gemma never felt like a third wheel with those two. After breakfast, they lounged in the sun and she was honestly glad that she was spending the time with them. This is what she had been missing over the past several days. Things just seemed easier when she was with her two closest friends. It was easier to be herself and just enjoy whatever time she had.

The morning had passed in a blur of Gemma actually enjoying herself despite not feeling like even getting out of bed when she’d first woken up. There was definitely a lot more laughing with Hope and Noah than she had expected. Even when the others joined, it all seemed a little easier. Henrik started telling stories about some of his climbing mishaps and they were all in stitches.

Of course, the peace was temporary at best. A beep from Gary’s phone signaled that the producers had something to say.

“I’ve got a text!”

“Read it out then!”

”Islanders, tonight there will be a recoupling and the girls will be choosing. But before that, the public has been voting and two lucky girls will get to take a boy of their choice on a date. If you are chosen, please get ready to leave the villa immediately. #trybeforeyoubuy #dateday”

Everyone seemed to have a different reaction. Gemma found herself not wanting to get a text because she had no idea who she was going to choose. She had no idea who she was going to couple with that night either. Marisol was looking smugly at Rocco while Priya was looking downcast. Lottie, on the other hand, was looking hopeful as she gazed at Gary, almost shyly. A beep went off and Lottie’s face lit up.

“I’ve got the first text!”

“Let’s hear it, Lotta!”

“Lottie, the public has selected you as one of the two girls who will get to leave the villa on a special date today. You must now pick a boy to come with you. #trysomethingnew #girlcode”

Suddenly, Marisol looked a little concerned at what Lottie was going to do and it gave Gemma a small amount of satisfaction.

“Well, since I’ve been wanting to get to know this boy better, Gary, will you go on this date with me?” Lottie asked, looking almost coy.

“Yes! Get in!” Gary said, pumping his fist, causing the other Islanders to laugh.

“Who’s next, then?” Henrik asked and Gemma’s stomach dropped as her phone beeped.

“Ooooh, Gemma, is it you?” Hope asked.

“Gemma, as the other girl selected by the public, you will also get to leave the villa for a date. Please make your selection now. #newbeginnings #rekindlingoldflames”

Gemma felt her cheeks flush bright red at the second hashtag and could not bring herself to meet the gaze she knew Lucas was sending her way. Instead, with her eyes wide and pleading, she silently looked to Hope for help. She had not wanted the date. She had forgotten all about needing to recouple. What was she supposed to do?

“Uhhh, Gemma, you have to pick someone,” Marisol said, with a clear annoyance that she had not been picked.

“Erm, I guess I’ll pick…” Gemma said, trailing off.

“Babes, why don’t you take Noah?” Hope offered and Gemma looked up suddenly, surprised at the suggestion.

“What?” came the surprise from several Islanders.

Gemma was silent as she searched Hope’s face. All she saw there was Hope being sure about the suggestion. It was one of the nicest things a friend had done for Gemma.

“Erm, well what do you say Noah? Are you up for it?” Gemma asked, trying to smile.

“I’d love to,” Noah agreed.

It had been a strange suggestion, in hindsight, but Gemma was thankful for it nonetheless. Lottie threw her arm around Gemma and ushered her off in the direction of the girls’ dressing room. It was the most animated that Gemma had ever seen the goth girl. Even though Lottie still chose something in her signature black, Gemma definitely saw something different. It was also nice that she barely had to say anything to keep the conversation going.

Once both girls were ready, they headed back down and out of the villa where two jeeps were waiting. Noah held the door open for Gemma, who slid in before him. For a second, she was worried this was going to be awkward. It had seemed like such a good idea in the moment, but she had essentially just taken the easy way out and invited a friend instead of a potential connection. Then again, she had no idea if she wanted a connection with anyone currently in the villa.

She should have known it would not be awkward as they talked easily on the short ride. When the jeep stopped, They stepped out into an open field area with a table set up a short distance away. Noah offered his arm as they walked over the grass so that Gemma would not sink. Mentally she was kicking herself for wearing heels rather than wedges.

it should not have surprised Gemma that the conversation flowed easily. In the first part of the “date” they argued about their favorite authors and somehow got onto a tangent of which authors would have gotten along with they had been alive at the same time. Some of them made sense and it was clear that Gemma had given it a fair bit of thought. When she said she thought Jane Austen would have liked what Charles Bukowski had written, Noah nearly spit out the wine he had been sipping, and she carried on as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Truthfully, she had stolen that pairing from a favorite TV show, but he did not need to know that.

Slowly, the conversation turned to where Gemma had been assuming it would go from the beginning. What was she going to do? She had been coupled up with Rahim at the start and had been clear that she did not think it was going anywhere, not that it mattered now with him gone. Both of the boys she had previously been coupled with had gotten dumped the night before and she was at a loss. Noah was trying to talk her through her options.

“I haven’t got much for options, have I? Lottie wants to pick Gary and frankly, I can’t see anything happening with him. She deserves to be happy after the wild ride of Marisol and Rocco,” Gemma said.

“Who will probably officially couple up,” Noah added and Gemma suppressed a snort.

“At least until something new and shiny comes in and distracts him.”

“Gemma!”

“What? It’s true.” Gemma was unashamed since it was only the two of them. “That just leaves Lucas and Henrik. I don’t think I want to be with Lucas again like that but he’d be the better option, I suppose.”

“You’ve left out a boy.”

Gemma rolled her eyes at him. “I know Hope will pick you, it didn’t need to be said.”

“Fair enough.” Noah took another sip of wine and Gemma watched him for a moment.

“How are you and her doing? Really?”

The look of uncertainty that passed over his face was unmistakable, even if it was gone as quickly as it showed up. The others in the villa had nicknamed them Nope as a couple name because of the apparent incompatibility. Gemma had refused to use the name, believing that if it felt right to them, then it was right. They were her closest friends. Now that she was clear of the drama of the past few days, though, it was obvious that things were not as good as they had been in the first few days.

Noah gave a somewhat noncommittal answer, saying that things had been a little tougher the last few days, but that everything would work out. They were both committed to seeing where this headed and there was no reason to give up on that in the moment. He seemed much less positive than he had been even just a few minutes earlier. When he said that he thought it was time to head back, Gemma just nodded and allowed him to avoid talking about it any further.

\----------------------------

Everyone had already been ready for the recoupling by the time Noah and Gemma returned, so she hurried off to the dressing room to get ready. There was just something very different about this time. She was not sure if she should go for something really eye-catching or not put in as much effort. In the end, she ended up wearing a black jumpsuit with a deep v that showed off all her curves that Hope had picked out. Gemma had really been at a loss.

She had tried to find a moment to talk through her options with Hope about the recoupling, but she did not really want Priya or Marisol to overhear what she was saying. She did not want to give them any fuel, even if she was not sure if Priya was looking for fuel. Gemma sighed thinking about how she really needed to have a chat with Priya. They had barely spoken since the kiss had come out in the tweet challenge. That would have to wait, though. Right now, she needed to know who to pick tonight. Then again, it also depended on if Priya picked before or after her. If Priya picked first, then Gemma’s decision would be all that much easier.

A text signaled that it was time to head down to the firepit and Hope reached for Gemma’s hand as they walked out. The boys followed just behind. Hope sat on one end of the bench and Gemma sat down beside her, thankful that it was Lottie who sat on her other side. The boys lined up before then, all relatively quiet. Sure, nobody was going to be left out of this coupling. It was still clear that everyone had their favorite. Lucas caught Gemma’s eye and smiled an actual smile. She had forgotten he knew how to do that without turning on the smolder.

It was silent around the firepit as they waited to see who was going first. Gemma thought it might be Hope, or else maybe Lottie since she had been picked to go on a date that day. Her stomach turned as the text chimed out far closer than it should have been. She turned from one side to the other and was met with blank stares before consulting her own phone. Damn, of course it would be me!

Gemma rose and cast her eyes across the group, finding each of the boys looking back at her in turn. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. She could do this. It was not a big deal that she was going first.

“Honestly, I did not expect to be going first or that it would make me this nervous. Then again, this whole experience has been pretty unexpected so far,” Gemma said and took another breath, willing herself to calm down. “I suppose that’s how it goes though. I would like to couple up with this boy because in the time that I’ve known him, he’s been supportive and kind. He’s really been a friend to me and I think that I could use that right now. So the boy I would like to couple up with is….”

The pause was killing Hope and she was thankful that Gemma could not see her face. Hope was internally hitting herself for suggesting they go off on the date. Why had she sent her boy off with the most gorgeous girl in the villa who was also one of the sweetest people? Hope was trying to search her brain for anything either of them had said after getting back. Had Noah been acting off? Had he asked Gemma to pick him? Her brain was working a mile a minute and she was not sure what to do to calm it down. The rational part of her knew that Gemma would not do something like that. Even though she and Noah had been having issues, Gemma would not just couple up with him without saying anything. It was just...Hope could not find anyone else that fit the speech Gemma was giving. What the hell was Gemma about to do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for continuing to read and leave comments and kudos, they mean the world to me!
> 
> I'm sorry to leave you hanging but I hadn't really committed to who she was going to pick so I figured we'll all go on this ride together.


	22. An Unexpected Recoupling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s time for the girls to pick their partners and it seems that the order is everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a shorter one, hope you’ll still enjoy it! ❤️

The boys all had their eyes on Gemma, seemingly also unsure of what she was about to do. She took a deep breath and looked down, still wishing against everything that she had not had to go first. She honestly had been hoping to go last. That way everyone could deal with each other on who they wanted. She was not in a frame of mind to pursue anything more right now. That was not the way it worked in here.

“The boy I’d liked to couple up with is...Lucas.”

She looked up and found him smiling back at her, seemingly both surprised and pleased with her choice. He hastened to walk over to her and gently brushed his lips against her cheek before they sat down. He draped his arm along the back of the bench and Gemma sat close to him, feeling the warmth come off his body. 

Lottie rose from her seat next and Gemma made eye contact with her briefly, giving Lottie an encouraging smile. With a deep breath, Lottie made a speech about how things had not gone the way she expected in her first couple in the villa, but that she figured this boy might change all that. Her eyes were locked on Gary, who was smiling back at her, and so she did not see Rocco huff or Marisol roll her eyes dramatically. When Lottie said Gary’s name, he smiled even wider and jogged over to her, snuggling into her and making her giggle in a very un-Lottie way. The two of them sat down. 

The next phone chimed and, surprisingly, it was Priya who rose to her feet, looking much less dejected than she had the past two days. Immediately, Gemma and Hope were looking at each other. Hope reached for Gemma’s hand and gave it a squeeze. It was clear what was on the other girl’s mind. Who was Priya going to pick?

“I’ll admit, I wasn’t looking forward to this re-coupling as I wasn’t sure who I’d end up with,” Priya began, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “But, I’m so pleased with how it’s turned out. I’d like to couple up with this boy because he’s got some serious potential and I don’t know that he’s really being appreciated for all he’s got to offer. Plus, I know we’ll be completely gorgeous standing next to each other. So, the boy I’d like to couple up with is...Noah.”

Hope’s hold on Gemma’s hands tightened as her eyes went to Noah. He was looking a bit like a deer caught in the headlights as he glanced from Hope to Priya, unsure of what he should do. His eyes drifted over to Hope, where she was clutching Gemma’s hand. All at once, everyone seemed to realize what had just happened.

“What the fuck, Priya?!” Hope exclaimed, rising to her feet. Gemma immediately rose with her, ready to hold Hope back if necessary.

“Sorry hun, just your bad luck picking after me,” Priya said, tossing her hair carelessly over her shoulder. 

“He doesn’t even like you! You just look like a fool!” Hope shot back and Priya smirked almost as if this was exactly what she wanted. 

“Maybe, maybe not. It’s not like he’s gotten to know anyone else,” Priya said.

Suddenly everyone was talking at once and it was difficult to hear what any one person was saying. Honestly, Gemma thought that might have been for the best considering that both Lottie and Hope were shouting at Priya while Rocco seemed to be trying to calm things down. Noah kept trying to interject but was having a hard time getting a word in. Priya was just laughing at the chaos around her, seeming to be completely back to her confidence from the beginning.  
  


Hope’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Priya, unable to even form the words she wanted to use. Gemma gently put her arms around her friend, not even looking at Priya, and guided her back to the bench. After a moment, Hope sighed and went from looking angry to just looking dejected. Nobody really knew what to say as Noah joined Priya, who promptly kissed him on the cheek before taking his hand and guiding them to their seats on the bench. 

The next phone to go off was Hope’s and she cast a glance at Gemma before rising to her feet and smoothing out her top.

“I think it’s fairly obvious that this isn’t exactly the way that I thought things would go tonight,” Hope said and glared at Priya who, for her part, met the glare without flinching. “But, I suppose that’s just how things go in here sometimes. I’d like to couple up with this boy because...well, even though we’ve been thrown for a loop tonight, I think he’d be fun to get to know a little better. We’re definitely very different, but let’s see how this goes. So, the boy I’d like to couple up with is...Henrik.”

Henrik smiled broadly and clapped Rocco on the back as he was the only other boy left standing. He strode over to where Hope stood, still looking uncertain, and gave her a hug before sitting down next to her. 

“Thanks for what you said. And for not letting me get stuck coupled with Marisol,” he said quietly, but just loud enough for both Hope and Gemma to hear. Both girls giggled. 

Marisol, seemingly completely unfazed by the way things had played out stood and positioned herself in front of Rocco. Her whole speech was entirely unnecessary, dripping with subtle digs and comments about how perfect her and Rocco were going to be. She finally said Rocco’s name and gave him an over the top kiss the moment that he was within her reach. Even with everything else going on, Gemma and Hope still locked eyes and fought off giggles. Nobody wanted Rocco anyway, clearly, as he was the last boy standing. 

“So, I guess that’s it,” Marisol said and looked around with a smile.

“Are we not going to talk about it?” Lottie asked.

“Talk about what?” Marisol responded. 

Lottie’s response was cut off by a text chiming out and a collective groan as they wondered what could possibly be happening now. Gemma picked up her phone and stood up.

“ _Islanders, the Hideaway is now open! Please select one lucky couple to spend the night there. #justthetwoofus #alonetime_ ”

Instead of more groans, this was followed by giggles and excited whispers. Marisol cleared her throat and was about to speak but Gemma cut across.

“I reckon we should send Gary and Lottie,” Gemma said, causing the goth girl to go uncharacteristically silent as she smiled. 

“What about us?” Marisol piped in. Rocco, for his part, was shuffling his feet, looking like he’d rather not get involved.

“You know, I could really use some private time with Noah,” Priya cooed as she snuggled into him. Noah went stiff and tried to extricate himself.

“Alone time? With a guy who doesn’t even want to be coupled up with you? Give me a break,” Hope retorted.

“Maybe he’s just too afraid of how you’ll react to speak up!” Priya returned and Hope rolled her eyes.

“Erm, if I could,” Noah interjected and looked almost surprised at himself. “I do want to get to know everyone in here, but I think maybe you should’ve chatted to me before picking me.”

“I tried!” Priya shouted, looking annoyed at everyone.

“So, are we sending Lottie and I to the Hideaway then?” Gary asked, obviously trying to break the tension. 

The looks he got ranged from bewilderment to annoyance to amusement. He seemed unfazed by any of it as he just shrugged.

“Let’s sort this first, all in favor of Gary and Lottie getting the Hideaway tonight?” Gemma asked, immediately raising her own hand.

Gary immediately shot his hand into the air, causing several Islanders to laugh. Beside Gemma, Lucas immediately raised his hand, which was followed by Henrik, Hope, and Noah. After earning an elbow from Gary, Lottie raised her hand as well. 

“That’s over half, we’re off!” Gary declared, grabbing Lottie’s hand and dragging her away amid a fit of her giggles. 

“I think we should have talked about that,” Marisol said, crossing her arms with a pout.

“Can you give it a rest for two seconds, Marisol? Honestly, this villa doesn’t revolve around you and we’ve got rather bigger things to worry about than you and Rocco being upset nobody likes you enough to send you to the Hideaway,” Gemma said before she could stop the words from coming out of her mouth.

Marisol huffed and stalked away. Rocco looked uncertain before shrugging and hurrying after her. Was there already trouble in Marisol’s fake paradise?

“I think we need a chat,” Hope said, looking to Priya.

“Then let’s chat,” Priya said with a shrug.

Gemma sighed, knowing that she was going to need to stay there to be some sort of buffer to them. So, she kissed Lucas on the cheek and sent him off with Henrik while she stayed to mediate between Hope, Priya, and Noah, who was also looking like he would like to leave, but knew he had to stay.

Before Lucas and Henrik had even walked off, Hope started in on Priya, pointing out that the older girl had gone about things all wrong. As much as Hope could be really difficult to be around for the others, Gemma knew where Hope’s insecurities came from. She knew about Hope’s past relationships and even friendships that had gone wrong. More than anything, Hope liked to feel a sense of control in a situation. She had learned over the years that it was easier for her to protect herself if she could keep some of that control. 

Priya, for her part, was not backing down. Even though Gemma hated to admit it, Priya also made some really good points. What point was there in Priya trying to do what made the others happy if it did not make her happy? It was also not as if she had been welcomed with open arms since coming into the villa. Gemma knew that she had plenty of reason to dislike Priya from Priya stealing Rahim without so much as a conversation, to trying to break up Noah and Hope, to everything with Bobby. But, Gemma also knew that she would not have survived this long without a friend like Hope. Who did Priya have to help her in that way? Lottie was open in her dislike of Priya, Hope and Gemma were attached at the hip, Marisol was exhausting to be around for too long. 

Despite anything Priya was saying, Hope was still fired up and did not want to back down either. Both women were hurt, for different reasons, about everything that had happened so far in the villa. Priya had made a lot of poor decisions, but this was the first time where Gemma was truly wondering if she was being judged too harshly. Worse still, Gemma was worried about the role she had played with all of it. 

They were getting nowhere and Gemma finally stepped in to send them all off on their separate ways to cool down for the night before it was time to head off to bed. Gemma felt second hand exhaustion from watching the argument go round and round without coming to any sort of resolution. Noah had also tried to diffuse the situation but neither Hope or Priya seemed to even hear what he had to say. 

Gemma knew that she also had to have a conversation with Lucas about picking him and where things were going. She was thankful he did not push that conversation that night. Instead, he offered one his his famous back massages once they had both gotten ready for bed, with Gemma sitting cross legged in front of him. The tension melted away under this familiar touch and she found she was even able to let her mind drift for a few minutes. 

There was an unnatural quiet as the new couples settled into their beds. They had known that there would be a lot of new pairings after that recoupling with Bobby and Ibrahim being sent home and then Rocco and Marisol deciding they were better together than with their current partners. Nobody could have predicted, though, that by the night’s end they would have five entirely new couples. Gemma curled into Lucas, happy to have something safe and familiar, even if it was just for the time being. Despite everything that had happened, she fell asleep easily and was able to sleep soundly through the night.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I had no idea that Priya was going to do that until I got there 😂🤷🏼♀️


	23. Parties Solve Everything, Right?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Islanders are taking shelter from the storm created between Hope and Priya. And what better way to stop a fight than to throw a party, right? That’s definitely not going to cause any drama.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long one but bear with me, I wanted to get through the whole day in one chapter ❤️

The morning began with an argument with Priya and Hope the second that the lights came up, causing everyone else to groan. Gemma pulled the blankets over her head and curled back into Lucas, hoping to drown it out. His arms tightened around her. After a few insults had been thrown back and forth, Noah insisted that the three of them go somewhere else to chat. At first the girls did not even hear him, so he spoke up and was able to restore the quiet to the bedroom, at least.

With the lights on and the argument already having broke out, nobody figured they could get back to sleep. Everyone started getting up and discussing what was for breakfast. In that moment, Gemma was incredibly envious of Lottie and Gary in the Hideaway. Gemma fully supported her decision to have them be the couple who got to go, but she also was a bit envious that they would get to wake up with privacy and without an argument.

Gemma dragged herself out of bed and went to get ready for the day. She had just finished her morning routine, which included showering and doing something with her hair, when she was called to the Beach Hut. It had hardly been a surprise. Nobody, including Gemma herself, had known what her pick was going to be the night before. The one part that was rather difficult was having to answer questions about how she was feeling to be coupled with Lucas when she had not had that conversation with him yet. Really, though, it should have been clear she picked who she wanted as she had gone first. Once she was finally able to convey that they were not going to be getting anything else out of her, she was allowed to leave. 

Hope was waiting to go in next and the girls shared a smile in passing. There was part of Gemma that was thankful for Hope getting called into the Beach Hut. It meant that they would get a least a little peace. With any luck, Priya would be called in next and that would prolong the reprieve. 

Next on the agenda for Gemma was finding Lucas so that they could have a chat about the recoupling. She knew that she owed him some answers and that they ought to talk about what had happened the night before. With so much focus on Priya stealing Noah and then the Hideaway being open, Gemma picking Lucas had seemed a lot less dramatic. In the light of day, though, there were conversations that needed to be had.

Lucas was in the kitchen grabbing a bowl of cereal and was somehow, surprisingly, alone. She slid onto one of the stools and watched his back as he poured the milk into the bowl. Not wanting to be caught watching him, she cleared her throat and he started a little as he turned around.

“Oh, it’s you, good, I was worried I was about to get dragged into something,” Lucas admitted, turning back to put the milk back in the fridge.

“Hope’s just gone to the Beach Hut so we should have a short break at least,” Gemma said and sighed. 

“Can I get you something?” Lucas asked and Gemma chuckled at the response, immediately covering her mouth with her hand. “Hey, I’ll have none of that. I made you breakfast a couple mornings ago.”

“You did and I appreciated it, but I’m set for now,” Gemma said. Lucas nodded and walked around to sit next to her.

“Do I get points for asking?” Lucas asked and Gemma just shook her head, smiling at the look on his face.

“If you’d like, sure,” Gemma said. “But I wanted to chat to you.”

“Oh, sure, what’s on your mind?” 

Gemma worried her bottom lip, wondering what she should say next. “Well, I picked you at the recoupling last night.”

“I did notice that, “ Lucas noted, a smug smile playing at his lips which made Gemma roll her eyes.

“I guess I just wanted to make sure you were...okay with what I said?” 

“I was a bit surprised to hear you say the thing about being friends, but of course I’m pleased you picked me. I do still feel like there’s something worth exploring here.”

“I can’t promise where this is going to go and I’m not even sure with where my head’s at after the last few days, but I’ve really appreciated how much you’ve been there for me.”

Lucas put his spoon down and turned his body fully toward Gemma, taking one of her hands in both of his own. There was a moment where his eyes were less guarded and he allowed the mask to slip just enough for Gemma to see. “Darling, I know it’s been a rough patch and I’m not expecting anything, truly. When I came in here, part of me was expecting you to just drop that idiot and go for me. I can even admit my ego was a little bruised when you didn’t. But, right now, I know you’ve been through quite a lot and I really just want to be here for you, however that looks.”

Gemma was unsure of what to say and equally unsure if she could say anything without tears starting to stream from her eyes. She closed them for a moment and took a deep breath as she nodded. With her eyes still closed, she felt Lucas’s breath on her skin a moment before he pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. It was such a simple gesture but it meant so much. 

But, it was gone in a flash as Lucas resumed his normal smoulder and typical attitude. Gemma could not be mad at it, she needed things to be a little less serious, a little less intense. The last several days had been nothing short of an emotional rollercoaster. It was unbelievable to think they had only been in the villa for two weeks. Before coming on, Gemma had seen other former Islanders comment how differently time moved on the inside. Now that she was experiencing it herself, she knew exactly what they meant. 

\------------------------------------

Nobody was surprised when the morning turned into the afternoon without bringing an end to the fight with Hope and Priya. Noah had been trying to resolve it at first. He had been very clear. He had wanted Hope to pick him and did not think it was fair for Priya to comment on their relationship when she had not taken the time to get to know either of them. Priya pouted as Noah also said that while he did want to get to know everyone in the villa, the way she had picked him made him feel like they would never connect on that level. Of course, this made Hope feel more confident and that sent them into yet another fight. It was exhausting.

Over the course of the day, several Islanders tried to broker peace between the two sides. Gemma had given it two shots, despite having her own issues with Priya that had not even been addressed yet. Henrik and Lucas had both made attempts as well, without having much success either. Noah kept trying to go back and settle things down. In all fairness, he seemed to be having the most luck, but the girls were not willing to listen to reason. The worst came when Lottie tried to step in. Gemma could see it failing from the moment that Lottie approached. While Lottie was not always Hope’s biggest fan, it had been clear since Day 1 that Lottie did not like Priya or her approach to things. It took all of about 60 second before Priya and Lottie were yelling at each other. Gemma picked out several words and phrases about girl code, hypocrites, man stealers, manipulators, and arguing over who was worse before she headed for cover.

Much of the day had been spent with the other Islanders hiding out from the storm when they were not trying to stop it. By late afternoon, everyone had given up on trying to stop them from fighting and figured that if that was what they wanted to do, that was what they could do. By that point, the argument was mainly happening inside the villa, which was allowing some of the other Islanders to lounge on floats in the pool. The producers had commented that they were not using the pool enough and this was the result.

It was a much needed break when they got a text announcing they were having a special Ministry of Sound party that night. Where nothing else had worked in getting Hope and Priya to lay down their arms, it seemed the prospect of a party did. Although they were not speaking to each other, it was at least an improvement from the screaming match. How they had not lost their voices yet was a medical marvel.

The girls were buzzing around in the dressing room in various states of dress, the drama that had been whirling through the villa at least momentarily forgotten. If not forgotten, maybe at least cast to the side so that they could enjoy the party that night. Party nights also meant that they were allowed to drink a little more. Realistically, alcohol was probably the last thing they needed to add to the open flames of the drama in the villa. But, maybe it would force things out into the open and make them admit to things they could not while completely sober.

The producers had rolled in some racks of sparkly and glittery clothing to fit the night’s theme of “Ministry of Sound” and Gemma was thumbing through some of the options. She ended up with a silver halter crop top and matching high waisted shorts. There was a skirt as well, but she had figured with drinking and dancing, she would likely flash someone in a skirt. 

Lottie had fished out some body stickers and started handing them out. She, Hope, and Gemma sat down together and went to work applying them. It turned out that Hope was useless at it, though, and so Lottie and Gemma just took care of it. At least with the three of them, things were easy and all laughs. They all agreed that they were looking forward to this night just being fun. Anything that was going on could wait until tomorrow. 

When everyone was ready, they headed to the backyard. There were pitchers of various mixed drinks and Gemma drifted towards the sangria, not wanting to deal with forcing whatever conversation that had been happening as soon as the Islanders had all gotten outside. Lucas followed right behind her, also not seeming to be interested in anything else that was happening. He poured them each a glass and they clinked their glasses before each taking a sip.

“You’d think they had enough drama with last night’s recoupling without giving us a party and more drinks,” Lucas commented and Gemma just shrugged.

“I’m trying to stay as uninvolved as possible,” Gemma said.

“A wise move.”

“Thanks for being a good distraction.”

Lucas raised an eyebrow and Gemma felt her cheeks flush. “Darling, you know perfectly well you haven’t seen the beginning of my distracting abilities yet.”

Gemma swatted at Lucas but it did nothing to remove the look on his face. “Don’t start.”

“I didn’t, you did.”

The two fell into a happy rhythm, chatting just between themselves until Hope, Noah, and Henrik wandered over to join them. It was harder to steer fully clear of the drama when the others wandered over, but there were also plenty of drinks to be had and Gemma made sure she was keeping refilled. 

While Priya was still doing her best to keep the spotlight on her, Gemma was not in the mood to let her night be ruined and she was definitely happily buzzed. She just wanted to enjoy a night for once. Instead of worrying what everyone else was thinking or doing, she allowed Lucas to pull her to the makeshift dance floor and take the lead. Not by accident, the song shifted into something with a sultry beat when Lucas pulled Gemma’s body against his own, allowing him to show once again, that he could somewhat keep up with the champion ballroom dancer. Gemma tried not to lead as she swayed her hips around and they cut wide paths across the floor. None of the other Islanders seemed to want to interrupt the dance. 

There was something about being pressed against Lucas that just felt easy. Dancing had almost always been that way for Gemma, though. When she could put herself into the music fully, all other worries fell by the wayside. Nothing else mattered except the music and the person that she was dancing with. Lucas may not have been perfect and things may not have worked when they dated on the outside. Inside the villa, he had become a comfort and someone that could just be there to remind her of home without even saying anything. 

The song shifted into something more popular and upbeat, bringing more people onto the dance floor as Lucas wound his arms around Gemma’s lower back and pressed her tight against his body. She tilted her head up to look into his eyes and was unsurprised to find the confidence had returned. With a roll of her eyes, she smirked and turned around in his arms so that her back was pressed against his chest. Gemma was feeling the effects of the drinks from earlier in the night and was just letting it guide her where it would. Winding one hand up to grip his neck behind her, Gemma rolled her body against his. Lucas tightened his grip on her hips, fingertips digging into her skin for a moment. He tilted his head down and his breath was hot on her neck for a moment.

“Is this how friends behave?” he asked just loud enough so only she could hear. 

The tone she had gotten so used to was back in his voice. There was something about it that was silky and it sent a small shiver down Gemma’s spine. She had never met someone who could rotate so easily between the confidence bordering cockiness that seemed to get girls flocking to him and the vulnerability when he trusted someone. This was definitely the confidence. Part of that was that she had made the mistake once of telling him that he moved well when dancing. Gemma remembered rolling her eyes as soon as she’d said it and seen his face. There was no taking it back.

Gemma slid herself around in his arms again, slipping her arms behind his neck and gently pulling him down so her lips brushed against his ear. “Are you sure it’s not how friends behave?”

This was a different side to Gemma than he had been expecting. It was like she was challenging him to see who was going to break first and for the first time, he was not sure he could outlast her at his own games. Her eyes sparkled with mischief and Lucas allowed his hands to slide down her back. It could have been the drinks, but Gemma just did not want to think so hard on what was supposed to be a fun holiday anymore. It had been drama and arguments and insecurities. What she wanted right now was something fun and easy. 

Lucas was trying to read the look in her eyes and was honestly not sure what he was seeing. They had both had a fair bit to drink, a perk of there being a party that night, but there was something about the way she felt in his arms that he could not ignore. He swallowed hard, hoping that she had not seen it. The last thing he needed was her knowing that she was winning this. Gemma turned back around and just danced. He let her guide their movements, bodies pressed as tight together as they could be. He did not have to see her face to know that she was smiling. This was the girl that needed to come back out, the one that was carefree and spontaneous. He had seen glimpses of her on the outside when they had dated and in here when they were joking. This was the first time he had  _ felt _ it from her. So much of it had been taken from her in the breakup with Callum that it was nice to see her returning. 

He was so lost in thought enjoying the moment that he barely noticed when the music quieted. Had Gemma not stopped moving, he may not have noticed at all. The other Islanders had noticed. 

“What happened to the music?”

“I was enjoying that!”

“Do you hear something?”

Gemma was looking around as the door to the villa slid open and two people strolled out. There were two new Islanders and Gemma’s stomach sank. This was the last thing they needed.

The girl was petite with short blonde hair and was wearing a sparkly pink mini dress. She seemed to be exuding excitement to the point where she could not even stand still. Beside her was a tall, incredibly muscular boy with his hair buzzed short. There was something almost militant about him. He seemed more than happy to let the blonde ball of energy next to him stay to the forefront.

“OMG! I can’t believe we’re finally here!” the new arrival squealed. 

She rushed forward toward Gemma, who opened her arms uncertainly at the last moment. The new girl barreled into her, hugging her immediately.

“Easy, babes, I’m a bit sweaty,” Gemma said with a chuckle.

“I’m just so excited to finally be here.”

“Well? What are your names?” Gemma prompted.

“I’m Chelsea and this is Jakub!” 

“Why don’t we take this over to the drinks? We can all sit and get to know each other a bit better.”

The group all headed over to a table that they only now realized had 12 chairs placed around it instead of 10. Hope and Henrik started pouring drinks to pass around to everyone. Gemma and Lucas were sitting so close to each other that their legs were touching. He draped his arm across the back of her chair and she placed a hand on his leg without even thinking about it. It was like reverting back to the ease she had always had with him.

They went through the typical introductions. Chelsea was an interior decorator who absolutely lived for the bubbly, as she called it. She spoke so quickly that some of the other Islanders were getting tired just trying to keep up with her. Jakub was a body builder and did not say much else about himself aside from that he refused to consume carbs after 8pm. Everything about him screamed rigid and routine. There were aspects about Lucas that were also rigid, but his types of control in a situation just seemed much more fun. Gemma shook her head to clear the thoughts and returned her attention to the two new Islanders, who could not possibly be more different from each other. 

“Okay, I’ll ask it, what have been some of the craziest bits that you’ve seen on the telly?” Hope asked.

“We’re not really supposed to say,” Jakub started.

“Oh, we can give them a little,” Chelsea said, nudging her companion. “Everyone completely lost it when everything happened with Priya and Bobby, we all knew they would sneak a tweet in about it!”

Priya groaned in response to the information and Lottie laughed lightly, happy to have someone else point out that Priya had been completely awful. 

“Oooooh,” Chelsea added excitedly. “People were really surprised about Bobby and Priya’s whole plan to break up Hope and Noah and that Gemma had found out…”

“What?” Hope nearly yelped, turning to Gemma. “There was a whole plan to break me and Noah up?!”

“Well, that’s what it seemed like on…” Chelsea said and Hope silenced her from further comment with a glare.

“You knew?” Hope directed back at Gemma.

“Hope, it’s not like that, I didn’t know until after Priya had already made her move!” 

“And you didn’t still try to warn me?” 

“Bobby said he’d already seen Priya go after Noah! What was I supposed to do?”

“Be the friend to me you’ve claimed to be, not chat about me behind my back!” 

“I wasn’t chatting about you behind your back. It sucked to be in that position, I really liked Bobby, I thought...I thought it meant something. I was confused!”

“I know you had a lot going on, Gemma, but that’s a shitty excuse. You should have told me. That’s what friends do.”

“I know that’s what friends do, I’m sorry! I didn’t want to hurt your feelings by bringing it up.”

“Well maybe if you had I would have been more worried about Priya snatching Noah out from under me at the last recoupling.”

“Hope, I’m sorry!” 

“I don’t want to hear it.”

Hope got off her chair and stalked off in the direction of the daybeds. Lottie looked unsure of what to do but gave Gemma a sorry look and chased off after Hope. The mood of the party was definitely killed from that one comment. It should not have been a big deal, but Hope had shared such deeply personal stories with Gemma that she knew how it looked to Hope. She knew how hard it was for Hope to trust. It was true. Gemma had been so caught up in her own world that she had not thought about how Hope might take it if she found out Gemma had known about the plan, even after the fact. The friendship that she had with Hope had been the best thing to come out of this whole experience so far and Gemma hated that she might lose that.

Gemma ran off in a different direction without even saying anything, feeling tears starting to sting at her eyes. Without even realizing it, she was up on the roof terrace. It seemed a fitting place for her to have some time to herself. She leaned against the rail, looking out into the night sky and shivered a little at the cool air. Now that she was not dancing, she realized it was almost chilly out. The door to the terrace quietly opened and closed. Gemma only closed her eyes, willing whoever it was to leave her alone and that she would not have to let anyone see her crying. After a few seconds, she felt familiar arms winding around her and she turned, allowing Lucas to pull her into his chest. 

Even though she knew that he was almost obsessive about his clothes, she let her tears fall, shaking in the moment. He was nearly silent, just holding her against him as he tried to soothe her. Slowly, he slid his hand up and down her back in a gentle rhythm. After a few minutes, Gemma settled down to where she could pull herself back together. Lucas guided them to the bench and he pulled her legs over his lap, slowly massaging her calves as he watched her chew her bottom lip.

“I feel like a right idiot,” Gemma finally said.

“Darling, you are many things, but you’re certainly not an idiot,” Lucas responded.

“What if she doesn’t forgive me?”

“She will.”

“How do you know?”

“Because anyone that’s spent enough time getting to know you, that you’ve actually allowed to get close enough to know you, knows that you’ve not got a mean bone in your body. Not for the people you care about, at least.”

Gemma smiled despite herself. “And for those I don’t care about?” 

“Well, I’ll count myself lucky I’ve never been on that list.” 

“I should have told her.”

“Why didn’t you?” 

Gemma gazed out into the night sky for a long moment before sighing and turning back to Lucas. “I was so caught up in the whole Bobby-Priya mess and what I was thinking that it kind of slipped my mind. I guess I didn’t even realize Hope didn’t know those two had come up with this whole plot.”

Lucas continued working the tension out of Gemma’s calves and she sighed happily as his fingers worked their magic. 

“You’ve had rather a lot on your plate. Hope may be upset now, but give her some time, it’ll all come around.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“It will, trust me. Nobody who knows you could stay upset forever.”

“Even you?” 

Lucas looked up from Gemma’s legs, seemingly caught off guard by the question. For a moment, his careful facade had slipped. It had just been a moment, but she had seen it. The next moment, he had his devilish grin back in place as one side of his mouth turned up in a smirk. 

“Forget it, I take it back,” Gemma said and huffed, trying to pull her legs back.

“Yes, darling, even me,” Lucas said and leaned forward, placing one hand behind her head and pressing a kiss to Gemma’s forehead.

She had no idea what was coming over her, if it was the drinks or him comforting her. Gemma took hold of his hand as he tried to withdraw it and held it in place. His face was still close to hers and their eyes locked. Searching his, she was unsure of what she saw. Was he only comforting her as a friend? In the next moment, she leaned forward to close the remaining space and pressed her lips firmly against his. It was just for a moment and Gemma pulled back, worried that she had done something wrong.

“Lucas, I’m sorry, I’m…”

“Just be quiet.”

Lucas placed a hand on either side of her face as their lips came crashing back together. There was something deeper that Gemma could not put her finger on. Almost demandingly, Lucas deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue into her mouth. He tasted like sangria. An involuntary moan escaped Gemma’s lips. In the back of her mind, she knew that she should not be doing this, knew this wasn’t what she was supposed to be doing with Lucas. It just felt so good, so right, so easy. It was nice to have something just be easy.

When he pulled away, she tried to fight her disappointment, but it must have shown on her face. Lucas chuckled and leaned forward again, kissing across her jaw and down her neck. Gemma slid her hands up his arms and dug her nails in slightly as he sucked the sensitive skin behind her ear into his mouth and nipped slightly. He kissed his way back up to her lips and she met the kiss hungrily, still gripping his arms tight. 

Gemma was not sure how it had happened when she realized she was sliding over into his lap, one leg straddled on either side of him. Almost lazily, he slid his hands up her thighs to grip her hips as he had done when they were dancing. But this, time, he let them continue to wander to her butt, which he squeezed, pressing her tight against his chest. Neither one of them wanted to break the kiss, enjoying the moment of feeling this with each other. It was bliss, just to be kissing Lucas and not thinking of anything else. For once, she was not worried about anything else in the villa or anyone else. 

Even though Lucas had kissed Gemma so many times before, something about this felt different. Something had changed between them and he had no idea what it was, but he was happy to be in the position all the same. He didn’t even care if it this was as far as it went, didn’t care if Gemma could feel how badly he wanted her. She had made the first move, and he was sure he was going to remind her of that when the moment to tease her a little was right. 

All too soon, they pulled apart from each other, breathless. Their faces were still close as Gemma closed her eyes and leaned forward to rest her forehead on against his. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed, just wanting her to be comfortable. Gemma opened her eyes and leaned back, looking at Lucas.

“Have you always been that good of a kisser?” 

It had been the last question Lucas had been expecting and it actually made him laugh. It was rare to catch him so off guard. He finally regained his composure and smirked back at her.

“That was nothing.”

“I disagree.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.”

Gemma swatted his arm in mock outrage. “What’re you saying?”

“Nothing, darling, nothing at all.”

Gemma huffed at him and lifted herself off his lap. She reached her hand out to him to help him up off the bench. “I suppose we should go inside.”

“You go, I’ll be in after a minute.”

Gemma raised an eyebrow but said nothing. She bent down to place a gentle kiss on his cheek and her hair brushed him as she did so. Lucas took in the scent that was so unique to her, unlike anything else he had ever smelled, and smiled back at her as she turned to leave. 

In part, he had wanted to give himself a second to come down from everything that had happened just then between himself and Gemma. He also wanted to try and sort it all out in his head. The kisses had definitely felt different and he was honestly not sure if that was a good thing or not. He was not sure what to make of any of it, honestly. It was also hard because he knew that when morning came, Gemma was going to need his support. Hope was upset and Gemma did not have many people in the villa she trusted. It was clear on Gemma’s face that she did not even know how to handle this latest blow.

Lucas sighed and pushed himself up from the bench. Was there such a thing as a quiet day in the villa? If there was, he certainly hadn’t seen one yet. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your comments and kudos mean the world, thank you 💕
> 
> And special thanks to Kat who basically threatened me if I took the terrace scene out 😂❤️


	24. New People and Old Emotions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With two new Islanders making a grand entrance into the villa, how will the existing couples react? And who will they take on their dates?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in getting the next chapter up, but sometimes life just happens. Hope you enjoy it!

Gemma woke up the next morning when the lights came on, evidently having curled up to Lucas in the night. Her back was pressed against his chest and his arm was draped over her hip. As she stirred, he began to stir as well. Around them, the other Islanders, which now included the two newcomers, Chelsea and Jakub, were groaning. It did not seem that anyone was too keen on waking up after the party the night before.

Eventually, Gemma dragged herself out of bed and offered to make breakfast for the group, which was met with as much enthusiasm as any of them could muster. Without waiting to see if anyone wanted to help, she reached for her silk robe and slid it over her pajamas to head out to the kitchen. She got a pot of coffee brewing and put the kettle on the burner for anyone that wanted tea. Her head was in the fridge when a voice caused her to jump.

“Figured you might need a hand,” Noah said, smiling as Gemma whipped around, hand on her heart. “Sorry.”

“You know I scare easily!” Gemma said, her heart still racing. It was true. It was so easy to scare her.

Noah threw his hands up in surrender. “I forgot, I’m sorry.” 

“I’ll forgive you...this time.”

“So, could you use a hand?” Noah moved around the counter and came to stand closer to Gemma.

“I could, actually, but...well, I don’t know if you ought to be helping me.” Gemma frowned and looked away. She was not ready to talk about last night.

“It’s just breakfast, Geej,” Noah said and Gemma softened slightly at the familiar nickname from home. “We don’t have to talk about anything that happened yesterday.”

“Perfect. Are you any good in the kitchen?”

Noah chucked and tried to gauge if Gemma was serious or not. After a moment, she laughed as well and he knew she had been kidding. 

“Funny.”

“Just don’t cut all our food up into tiny pieces, yeah?”

Noah rolled his eyes and the two got to work making a full English breakfast. They had both agreed that with the party and everything else that had happened, a full breakfast was what they all needed. Gemma started pulling out the ingredients and Noah worked on pulling out the pots and pans that they would need. It was a good thing the kitchen was so large with how many people were usually in the villa at one time. It made cooking something like this a lot easier.

Cooking with Noah turned out to be incredibly easy. True to his word, they did not talk about anything that had happened since the last recoupling. Instead, they talked about life outside the villa. They covered everything from family to hobbies to favorite books to favorite hidden hangouts. Usually, Gemma hated talking about her favorite books or authors with anyone because they were just not as interested. Thankfully, as a librarian, Noah was as passionate about reading as Gemma was. 

“Your favorite literary character is Alice?” Noah asked, looking up from the toast he was working on.

“Is that so surprising?” Gemma asked, almost challengingly. 

“I suppose not. I just find people usually dismiss it as only a children’s book.”

“Which it’s not.”

“No, I agree there. Do you prefer the original or the sequel?”

Gemma stopped for a moment and considered. Noah was looking at her and waiting for her answer. “What would you guess?”

“Answering a question with a question,” Noah said and chuckled, turning back to the food. He was quiet for a moment, but Gemma knew it was that he was considering his answer rather than ignoring the question. “I imagine you like them both but you prefer  _ Through the Looking Glass _ .”

“Why would you guess that?”

“Because to list Alice as one of your favorite characters probably means you’ve given the storylines a lot of thought. I dunno, but I reckon you’d be more drawn to her in the second and the way she develops as a character.”

Gemma tried to avoid showing the genuine surprise on her face. People so rarely even considered  _ Through the Looking Glass _ despite the movie that had come out a few years ago. She was more surprised that he knew enough about both her and the books to guess it was her favorite.  _ Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland  _ was a wonderful work of fiction with a lot more to it than just being a children’s book. She had been drawn to it as a child, but only really understood it more as an adult.  _ Through the Looking Glass _ just went so much deeper. There was something so relatable about the loneliness that Alice felt before going through the mirror. Even though Gemma had a sister and friends, she felt it became harder and harder to get close to people as she got older. More than that, she really related to the sense of her moves being predetermined. As Alice had started as a pawn, Gemma also felt that she had started with little control over where her life was going. She had been good at dancing and so that had been the path she went down. And she loved it, she loved dancing and competing. But, as she had gotten older, she recognized that she wanted to take more control over her own life and wanted to hold her fate in her own hands. 

Not even realizing that she had gotten lost in her own thoughts, she shook it off as Noah asked something about the breakfast they were making. He must have noticed how she had gone silent and yet he had just let her live in her own head for those few moments. 

As the other Islanders started drifted out, they all were thankful for the breakfast being made and grabbed tea or coffee before getting out of the way. When Lucas came out, he poured himself a cup of coffee and sat on the stool, joining into the conversation when he could. Mostly, he let Noah and Gemma carry on without saying much. In some ways, it was nice to have Lucas out there. Gemma was worried about how it would look that she and Noah were making a breakfast alone with what Chelsea had revealed the night before. 

When breakfast was ready, Gemma called the others to the kitchen and they started handing out plates. They carried their food over to the tables and sat down to enjoy the meal. Despite everything that had happened, it seemed that people were thankful for a nice start to the day. Gemma was trying to gauge where things stood with Hope, but Hope had refused to meet her eye so far. That did not seem like a good sign of things to come.

  
  


\-----------------------------------------------

The rest of the morning had gone by relatively quietly. Gemma wanted to speak to Hope but had not had the chance to do so yet as Hope was steadily avoiding anywhere Gemma was. There were also two new people in the villa and Gemma supposed that she should really get to know them. But, frankly, Gemma was annoyed at the way Chelsea had come in and dropped something that had caused a rift between her and Hope. Then there was Jakub who seemed to have the personality of a wet blanket. He was very clearly not her type. 

Gemma was laying on the sun lounger, working on her tan, when Chelsea’s high pitched squeal ripped through the villa. 

“Guys! I’ve got a text!”

There was nothing in Gemma that wanted to rush over to hear it, or even pretend to be excited about it. She did the best she could to muster a little enthusiasm before flopping onto the same beanbag Lucas was already sitting on. He pretended to huff but still made room for her. 

_ “Chelsea and Jakub, it’s time for you to get to know some of the Islanders a little better. Please pick two people you would like to take on dates. Get ready to leave the villa after making your choices. #newkidsontheblock #singleandreadytomingle” _

It was not a surprise to Gemma. It seemed that the new Islanders coming in usually had a chance to take some number of current Islanders out on dates. Chelsea giggled happily as she cast her eyes around the group. 

“For my first date, I’d like to choose...Henrik,” Chelsea said after look around at the boys. He smiled and stood up. 

“Don’t keep him out too late,” Hope joked and Henrik smiled at her, grateful for her support.

“No promises, babes,” Chelsea giggled and looked around the group again. “And for my second date, I’d like to pick...Gary! Will you go on this date with me?”

Lottie narrowed her eyes at the newcomer and crossed her arms with a huff. Gary whispered something in her ear that caused her expression to soften before he kissed her cheek and joined Chelsea and Henrik.

“Your turn, babes,” Chelsea said to Jakub before leading her two choices off to the villa. 

Jakub rose to his feet and smiled around at the girls, as if he was a gift to them. “Well, I came in here thinking that if nobody else could handle a woman like Priya, I’d be well up for the task.”

Priya let out a small sound of surprise before twisting her face into a smile. She was clearly pleased with his saying that. “We’ll see about that.”

“Would you like to be my first date?”

“I’d love to.”

Priya rose and swayed her hips as she walked over to Jakub, planting an unnecessary kiss on his cheek. Hope rolled her eyes at the display.

Jakub cast his eyes around again. Gemma had stopped paying attention, her head resting on Lucas’s shoulder. “For my second date, I pick…Gemma.”

Gemma’s head shot up as she looked incredulously at Jakub. Surely she had heard him wrong and he had not said her name. She looked over to Lucas who just shrugged as if to say, why not? Well, she had about a million reasons why not.

“Oh, erm, sure,” was all that came out of Gemma’s mouth as she rose to join Jakub and Priya. What a party.

\------------------------------------

The date had been just as boring as she had expected it to be. Priya had gone first and seemed to be smiling as if she had a secret when the girls passed to switch places. Honestly, Gemma could not be bothered with any of it. As far as she was concerned, if Priya and Jakub had hit it off, so much the better for the rest of them. It was almost like Marisol and Rocco. Gemma could not see anyone else wanting to be with Jakub, or possibly Priya either at this point. 

Jakub had spent the whole date bragging about his accomplishments and how he had once finished fourth in a regional bodybuilding competition. There was a part of her that wanted to point out she had  _ won _ several international competitions, but doubted he would even register it and therefore kept it to herself. He had assumed that because Gemma danced, and she was shocked he had retained even that much about her, that she would understand the lifestyle. Gemma, not usually one to be so upfront in this kind of situation, quickly pointed out that it was nowhere near the same thing and that she could hardly understand his workouts. She liked to stay in shape, of course, but as a dancer, so much had come just from training, not from hours upon hours spent on the weight machines at the gym. Undeterred, Jakub continued to carry on and Gemma just enjoyed the wine. There was not much else to do. 

When they were back at the villa, Gemma headed off to find Lucas, eventually locating him on the daybeds with Henrik. Apparently he was filling Lucas in on what had been a really good date with Chelsea. Gemma was honestly happy for Henrik, even if she was annoyed with Chelsea at the moment. Henrik was a great lad and he had not really connected with anyone in the villa yet. He deserved to be happy. Both Henrik and Lucas were unsurprised that Gemma’s date had been awful, but were more than happy to laugh as she told them about it. Back in the villa, it did seem much funnier than it had while on the date.

Henrik excused himself to go find the bubbly blonde and Lucas scooted over to make room for Gemma to lay beside him. She happily curled up to him, laying her head on his chest. He played with her hair absentmindedly while they lay in silence.

“So, you’re not considering Jakub when we have to recouple?” Lucas asked and Gemma laughed so hard she nearly snorted.

“No, I should think not. Besides, it seems that he and Priya got on well,” Gemma said. 

“Well, I suppose that would make things a bit smoother in here,” Lucas said. 

“Unless Chelsea ends up throwing a spanner in the works. Or it’ll probably be the boys choosing this time, that could make things interesting,” Gemma mused.

“Who would you want to pick you?” Lucas asked and Gemma pulled herself up to study him for a long moment before answering. 

Who did she want to choose her? Honestly, it was easiest to be with Lucas at the moment, but she also knew that might not be fair to him. She was not sure where his head was at after their kiss the night before. For that matter, she was not really sure where her own head was at. Hope was not speaking to her, Priya was turning into a nightmare, and Gemma was still getting over Bobby. How was she supposed to know what she wanted to do next? And could she ask Lucas to wait patiently by while she figured it all out?

“It was an easy choice picking you, but I suppose I never really asked if it was what you wanted,” Gemma finally answered.

“I’ve not exactly been quiet about wanting to be with you since coming in. Your speech did throw me off for a moment, though. I thought you might pick…” 

“Who did you think I’d pick?” 

“Noah. He’s your closest friend in here apart from Hope.”

“You keep seeming to forget that we were friends before we dated.”

It was Lucas’s turn to be quiet for a moment as he thought about her words. Gemma wanted so desperately to know what was going on inside that perfect head of his. There were moments, like this, where Lucas went quiet and it seemed like he was wrestling with something internally. He rarely seemed to let people into that inner thought process. 

“I know we were, I just wasn’t imagining coming in here and coupling up with you as a friend. Last night also didn’t much feel like friends.”

“I know it didn’t.” Gemma’s voice was quiet.

“I guess I just want to know where your head’s at.”

“Honestly, Lucas, I’m not really sure. Being coupled with you is easy, but it’s also familiar and I’m worried that I’m just going with what’s familiar.”

Lucas’s chest rose and fell with a deep breath. “I understand.”

Gemma pulled herself into a sitting position and crossed her legs, facing Lucas. His expression was difficult to read. It looked almost impassive and that he was withdrawing. “But that kiss? That was one of the best kisses I’ve had.”

“Was it now?” Lucas had arched his eyebrow at this, the smirk returning to his face. 

“I care about you, a lot, I’m just not sure where my head is at and I don’t want to make things more confusing than I already have with that kiss,” Gemma said and chewed on her lip as she looked down, avoiding his eyes. Lucas reached a finger out and gently tilted her chin up.

“Maybe this still doesn't work, even in here, but I’m a grown man so let me worry about if it’s confusing or not,” Lucas said quietly, his voice silky. “Can you do that for me, love?”

Gemma just nodded and Lucas smiled at her again. It was a smile she was all too familiar with when he got her to agree with him on something. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth, dangerously close to her lips. As he pulled away, his breath ghosted across her face. “Good girl.” 

Lucas leaned back against the headboard and motioned Gemma to him with a finger. Without even thinking, she obliged and crawled into his lap, resting her head on his chest just under his chin. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on the top of her head. Gemma was surprised that his heartbeat was a bit fast, everything about him had come off as so calm and in control. Then again, that was Lucas all over. He liked to be in control, to know what was going on, to have a schedule. That had made it difficult for them at times. When Gemma was not training or competing, she wasn’t much for schedules. Thankfully, she had found Lucas’s quirks charming rather than annoying. 

Although Lucas was not one that could usually sit so still, he was finding it easy with Gemma curled into him. There was just something about her that was so exciting and yet so calming at the same time, which was wreaking havoc on his nerves. He had been able to feign his calm while inside he was unsure. Part of him just wanted things to work this time with this girl that he cared for more than anyone he had met before and part of him acknowledged that maybe it was just the chase. All his life, he had been drawn to what he could not have. There was something undeniably special about Gemma. After all, he had come on this ridiculous show for her. But, he also knew that maybe he was not what she needed in the end. He was not sure that he could ever really be the man that she would need him to be. When she had already experienced so much heartache and disappointment, he knew that he could not stand to be another person on that list. In that moment, he actually felt that if he could only be her friend, if that was all she wanted, then that might be enough. Maybe it was better to just have her in his life any way that he could.

\--------------------------------

The rest of the night had passed quietly and nobody seemed to have all that much to say as they got into their beds. Jakub and Chelsea were each in their own separate beds at the end of the row. Lucas was sitting up, shirtless, in the bed he shared with Gemma when she came into the room. She watched his satisfaction as his eyes raked over her body, unafraid to be caught checking her out. When she reached the bed, he pulled back the covers to allow her to slide in. His body was warm against hers and she immediately rolled onto her side facing him and cuddled against his body.

Lucas chuckled and slid down into the bed so that he could be in a better position. He stayed on his back but slid an arm under Gemma’s neck as she pulled herself in closer to him. She put an arm over his stomach and casually threw one of her legs over his. With a chuckle, he placed a kiss on the top of her head. It had been nice when the beds had been reassigned after the last recoupling and they had ended up with the bed in the corner. It only left a couple on one side, currently Henrik and Hope. Henrik had slipped into the room shortly after Gemma, but Hope was nowhere to be found.

As the lights went out, Gemma adjusted herself to still be close to Lucas. She could not explain it, but she wanted to be close to Lucas. He was not complaining and, unusually enough for him, enjoying the closeness. His mind was far too active to drift off to sleep yet and he could tell that hers was too. She had made herself comfortable, but her body was not relaxing. Carefully, he pulled the covers over their heads, to provide a little privacy.

“Everything okay, love?” Lucas whispered.

“Just can’t seem to turn my brain off,” Gemma said just as quietly.

“I know the feeling,” Lucas agreed.

They laid there under the covers, painfully aware of how awake the other was but still not saying anything. Gemma’s eyes were adjusting to the lack of light and she could just make out the shape of Lucas’s face. In the darkness it was a lot easier to admire his features without worrying about him catching her. Because he would never miss an opportunity to make a smart comment if he caught her looking too long. The angles of his face were just so incredibly handsome, then paired with his confidence and it was a dangerous combination. He had this look of being so effortlessly put together, even though Gemma knew it was far from effortless. 

Gemma’s eyes moved up to meet his and he quirked an eyebrow, likely biting back a retort about her gazing at him. Luckily for him, she had not caught that he was doing the same thing. He knew that her last serious relationship had given her a lot of insecurities and he hated that. Everything about Gemma was stunning from her inquisitive eyes to her smile that so easily went from friendly to sexy to those killer curves, to her strong thighs. She was gorgeous, head to toe, and it was not her fault men and women both watched her when she entered a room. Callum had been the wrong person to appreciate that. If he was being honest with himself, Lucas was not sure he was the right person either. He knew he was prone to being jealous and a girl like Gemma was bound to draw looks wherever they went.

For the second time in barely over 24 hours, Gemma found herself pressing her lips against his, but this time, she did not pull back after a few seconds. Lucas had wrapped his arms tighter around her, pulling her against his chest. In this position, it was easier for him to run his hands up and down her body, just exploring as their tongues danced together. There was something so easy about this that Gemma was not even thinking if this was the right thing to do or if this would end up making everything worse. Somewhere in her mind, she knew that she was seeking comfort from Lucas, but she reasoned that maybe that was just what she needed at the moment. 

It may have only been minutes or it may have been much longer. Eventually they pulled apart from the kiss and Gemma rolled over. Again, Lucas drew her in so that her back was now pressed against his chest. The two of them now both found it much easier to fall asleep. 


	25. Spin The Bottle

Gemma woke up the next morning, still curled up with Lucas, determined that if she accomplished nothing else that day, she would at least have a conversation with Hope. After not speaking at all the previous day, Gemma was seriously missing her best friend. Lucas had been quick to point out that he felt Hope was overreacting. Honestly, though, Gemma did not feel like she was. The two girls had gotten incredibly close during their time so far in the villa. Sometimes there were just those things you never spoke about but were in agreement all the same. 

The lights had not come up yet and so Gemma quietly slipped out of bed, trying not to wake Lucas in the process. It was so peaceful in the villa when everyone else was asleep. It was actually possible to hear yourself think. Usually, even when lounging by the pool, there was so much going on that it was hard to really think about anything else. Gemma loved being around people, loved that there was always something going on, but she also knew that right now she might need some time to herself. As she headed out to the kitchen, she glanced at the daybeds and saw that Hope was curled up there. 

It seemed a shame that she was sleeping out there, not able to even share a bed with Henrik. He had been clear that he was not expecting anything from her and that he was simply thankful that she had not left him to be picked by Marisol. Still, Hope was not happy with her situation and apparently, sleeping outside had been the better option. Gemma went to work boiling some water so that she could bring a hot beverage to Hope as a peace offering. There was a definite risk in going to wake her up, but she was hoping that this would at least warm the frosty atmosphere.

With two cups in her hands, Gemma carefully walked over to the daybeds and sat down on the edge of the one where Hope slept. The movement on the bed seemed to register with Hope somehow, maybe she had not been sleeping that deeply. She yawned and opened her eyes to look around, finally seeing Gemma. Her eyes narrowed as she frowned.

“I come bearing gifts,” Gemma said, holding out a cup.

Hoped looked on the verge of refusing it when she sighed and pushed herself into a sitting position, the blanket still covering her legs. “Thanks.”

“I know that you’re upset with me and I get it, truly. I just don’t want things to be like this,” Gemma said after Hope had taken the cup. Hope blew over the top and took a small sip, trying not to smile at how good it was. 

“Hearing that everyone back home knows there was this whole plan to break Noah and me up was a lot, but realizing you’d known as well was more than I could handle,” Hope said.

“I never meant to hurt you, I hope you know that,” Gemma said earnestly. Hope sighed heavily again.

“I suppose I do and I suppose maybe I overreacted, but do you get where I was coming from? It feels like nobody in this villa supports Noah and I together, apart from you. I get it, we do fight a bit, but we also went from not even knowing each other to spending every second of every day together. It’s a lot,” Hope said, the words flowing out.

“It is a lot, it tests all of us,” Gemma agreed. “I also genuinely do understand where you’re coming from.”

“And, like, you’re supposed to be my best friend here. It hurt to think you’d been in on this whole plan to break us up,” Hope said and Gemma frowned.

“Hope, I swear to you, I wasn’t involved in the plan, I heard about it once it was too late to do anything and I was caught up in my own head,” Gemma said and Hope looked unsure.

“So, what happened?” Hope asked.

Gemma paused for a second, unsure of where to start. So she started with the Kiss and Tell challenge and how Bobby had gotten all upset that Lucas had known those things about Gemma when he hadn’t. It had been that night that he and Priya kissed. Then, the next day had been when they did the Mr. Love Island contest that she had helped Noah with. Thinking back it was still weird that Bobby had basically pushed her to help Noah. If she was honest, she had thought something was wrong then but did not really have time to think it over. Later that night was when the plan had apparently been hatched. Really, Gemma could not remember where she was. What she could remember was that she came outside and saw the two of them talking. It was another red flag she brushed off. The next morning, after they had a slow start, Bobby had filled Gemma in on everything, including that Priya had already taken Noah aside. They had Mean Tweets that afternoon, and it had all gone to hell from there with the vote for least dateable following.

“And when I overhead the moans from that back closet only to see Priya and Bobby leave minutes later…” Gemma said. 

“I’m sorry, what?” Hope interrupted, eyes wide.

“Oh, yeah, I suppose I haven’t told you that. Bobby confirmed it for me when I confronted him the next day. They had sex after Bobby was voted one of the least dateable,” Gemma said and chewed her lower lip.

“Babes, I’m so sorry,” Hope said, her expression completely softening.

“No, no, really, it’s fine...well, it’s not fine, but it is what it is. None of it excuses me not telling you what I’d heard. You deserved to know,” Gemma said.

“I did, but also I get it. Emotions run so high here and I think it’s safe to say we’ve both had a rocky ride the last several days,” Hope said and Gemma nodded.

“I appreciate you hearing me out,” Gemma said.

“I’m still upset by it all but I do get where you were coming from,” Hope said.

“Still friends?” Gemma ventured cautiously and Hope actually gave a small smile.

“I think we can figure it all out,” Hope said with a chuckle. 

The two continued to talk through everything that had happened with Bobby, Priya, and Noah, working past the lingering issues that were there. Hope had not expected anything like that from Gemma. In her experience, people let her down and did not seem to care. This was different, there was a mutual respect and friendship between the two women. For Hope’s part, she was feeling much better about the decision to become friends with Gemma on the first day. She was also starting to think that maybe not everyone was going to let her down.

As the sounds started to drift out from the villa signalling the others were waking up, Gemma and Hope agreed they should head inside to get ready for the day. Feeling energized from the conversation, Gemma figured she might as well put it to use and spend some time in the gym. That the villa had a good collection of equipment to use to work out had not surprised anyone. After all, the premise of the show was a bunch of sexy singles living together and looking for love. 

For a moment, Gemma hesitated, worrying that Jakub would be working out. That was his whole life, after all. However, when she only saw Noah out there, she let out a breath she had not realized she was holding. Noah was the perfect person to work out with, really, because he was happy to just let you go about your routine. They quietly fell into their rhythm, not speaking except to make the occasional comment about the workout. Thankfully, by the time the others started to wander into the gym area, Gemma was done and ready for a shower.

As much as Gemma wanted to sit easily and just relax with the other Islanders, she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. It had been several days since their last challenge which likely meant that there was one coming. Several of the recent challenges had caused issues and it seemed to be what the producers were looking for. Then again, Gemma knew better than to voice the concern. It ended up not mattering as Priya’s phone pinged with a text.

“I got a text!”

“Ugh I knew it!”

“It’s a challenge isn’t it?”

“Well, read it out!”

“ _ Islanders, it’s time to warm up to the new additions and to each other with a game of Spin the Bottle. Please gather on the challenge stage! #puckerup #spinaway _ ”

“Are we back in school?” Hope asked, rolling her eyes.

“I’m always up for a bit of snogging,” Priya said, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

“Of course you are,” Lottie said, rolling her eyes.

“Okay, ladies, let’s go,” Noah said, stepping between Lottie and Priya to head off to the challenge state.

When they all arrived, there was a giant champagne bottle. They positioned themselves in a circle around the bottle. Nobody seemed that keen to take the first spin of the bottle. Priya, having got the text, stepped up and spun the bottle first, landing on Rocco, much to everyone’s amusement. She huffed and went over to kiss him. It was nowhere near the snog that she had said she was always up for. 

Rocco spun next, landing on Chelsea, to Marisol’s annoyance, as he eagerly went over and went for a full on kiss. The petite blonde looked caught off guard but still tried to return the kiss. Her eyes were wide at the glare from Marisol and for the first time, Gemma actually felt bad for the other girl. Marisol was sitting with her arms firmly crossed as if it were all some conspiracy that Chelsea was after Rocco. There was no point in saying Chelsea had the chance to take Rocco on one of her dates but had not done so. 

Chelsea landed on Gemma which everyone seemed to be entertained by, several of the guys leaned in to watch. With a roll of her eyes, Gemma strolled over to Chelsea, placing a firm, but relatively tame kiss on Chelsea’s lips. The new girl giggled a bit at the attention from the boys. Gemma spun next and landed on Henrik. Without even realizing it, she looked to Lucas who looked unfazed. With that, Gemma walked over to Henrik and placed a hand on either side of his face, figuring that the point of the game was to go for it. Things were confusing with Lucas but this was just a challenge and you were supposed to have fun with it. His hands started awkwardly placed on her hips but seemed to ease as she kissed him. When she pulled away there were a number of whooping noises coming from the boys.

“Just so it’s clear, I’m going for a proper snog any time I have to kiss someone,” Gemma said and then looked at Chelsea. “Well, when I have to kiss one of the boys at least, sorry Chelsea.”

“It’s totally fine babes,” Chelsea squeaked with a giggle. 

The game carried on with the tone mostly being light and fun. Even though it felt like they had been in the villa for ages, in some ways it still all felt new enough that nobody was getting upset. The last recoupling had seen all new couples and so nobody really felt settled. And people were trying to have fun with it, no matter who they landed on. When Lottie landed on Gemma and announced she wasn’t settling for a little peck like Gemma had given Chelsea, everyone laughed. What had seemed like it might have drama looming was turning out to be more fun than the producers likely counted on. Jakub appeared to be the only one that was not fully invested because not all the girls were thrilled to kiss him when the time came around. Secretly, Gemma was glad that she did not have to land on him. It would have made her regret saying that she was going for full snogs. 

As the game finally came to a conclusion, the bottle had definitely favored Gemma. She had ended up kissing Henrik, Chelsea, Lottie, Noah, Lucas, Rocco, and Hope. It was hard to decide which kiss had been the best, honestly, because some had certainly been surprising. They were finally able to get up and wander back to the villa. 

“The bottle sure seemed to like Gemma a lot,” Gary mused, “I feel a bit left out though.”

Lottie elbowed him hard in the side but was otherwise smiling. “That’s enough out of you.”

“Hey, I only do as I’m told,” Gemma said, laughing along with the others. It was the best she’d felt with the whole group like this in a bit.

“Oh, so we’re all just  _ fine _ with Gemma going full on with whoever she likes but when I say that I like a bit of snogging, I’m the baddie?” Priya asked, rolling her eyes hard and crossing her arms.

“You’ve handled yourself a bit differently than she has in here, you have to admit,” Hope said, trying her best at neutral despite the bad blood.

“Back to sticking up for her, I see, that didn’t take long for you to run back to being Gemma’s lap dog,” Priya said, still very clearly annoyed.

Gemma should have known that the peace would be short lived. It seemed nearly a foregone conclusion that a kissing challenge would bring something up. 

“My relationship with Gemma isn’t any of your concern. It’s not like you’ve shown any care for her feelings before, or for anyone else’s, for that matter,” Hope shot back. 

“Are we still on about a stupid kiss? What does it matter? Bobby is gone and Gemma seems  _ just fine _ moving on with Lucas,” Priya observed.

“I hardly think you can comment on how I’m feeling, Priya, you never even had the decency to speak to me or own up to what you did,” Gemma said. 

“I  _ was _ sorry about the kiss, I didn’t get a chance to speak to you after it,” Priya said.

“Give it a rest, Priya, I’m not talking about the damn kiss,” Gemma said, rolling her eyes harder than should have been humanly possible.

“What are you on about then?” Priya asked, trying to seem calm although her eyes gave her away.

“It doesn’t matter,” Gemma said, shaking her head and Priya scoffed.

“Still trying to play the angel, I see. Never possibly willing to admit you’ve done anything wrong,” Priya said, flinging her hair over her shoulder. The others were all watching.

“No, but what’s the point? We both know what you’ve done, so stop acting like I didn’t have reason to be mad by the time he was voted out of the villa,” Gemma said, eyes locking on Priya’s with a sense of calm that seemed to unnerve Priya. “If you’d like to talk about it, woman to woman, you know where to find me. Otherwise, don’t go around pretending like we’re somehow the same.”

“What’s happening?” Lottie asked nobody in particular but her eyes flew to Chelsea when the petite blonde gasped and immediately covered her mouth. “What?”

“Nothing,” Chelsea squeaked quickly, covering her mouth.

“If you’ve got something to say…” Marisol said, trailing off.

“Didn’t you say something about everything that happened with Priya and Bobby when you came in?” Lottie asked.

Chelsea’s eyes went wide at the question as Priya groaned. It had caught Gemma’s interest as well. What exactly had they shown to the people at home? She had assumed it must have been something involving those two since Bobby had been one of the ones voted out. It also seemed fair to assume it was more than just the one kiss. That alone did not seem like it should’ve been enough to vote to keep Rocco over Bobby.

“It doesn’t matter,” Gemma said, cutting across the chatter. “Let’s just go back to the villa.”

“Are you defending her?” Lottie asked, genuinely confused.

“It’s just...it doesn’t matter,” Gemma said measuredly, trying hard to control her voice. 

“Oh, fuck this,” Hope said with exasperation. “You’re sweet, Gemma, and I love that, but Priya fucked Bobby after we voted on the least dateable and I’m sure that’s what Chelsea was going to say.”

The announcement was met with silence and a lot of incredulous faces. Gemma was not sure what she would be feeling but when her eyes met Priya’s, the older woman only rolled her eyes as if none of it really mattered. Suddenly all eyes were on Chelsea, as if they were waiting for her to confirm it. 

“I didn’t know they’d slept together!” Chelsea said, throwing her hands up in the air. “I mean, it showed them snogging, pretty intensely, and Bobby asking for them to go some place more private, and the idea was there, but I didn’t think they’d ever…”

“Take it that far?” Lottie asks, quirking an eyebrow at Priya.

“So what if I did? I was interested in him too and I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to find someone I fancy,” Priya said, confidently bringing herself up.

“That’s rich,” Lottie scoffed.

“Like you haven’t gotten to know whoever you pleased?” Priya shot back and Lottie just rolled her eyes in disbelief.

“It’s different and you know it,” Lottie said.

“You have every right to explore who you’re interested in, that is the point, but maybe your time in here would be a little smoother if you were actually up front about it, instead of sneaking behind everyone’s back to break up the couples you’re only jealous of,” Gemma said. There was no anger in her voice, just resignation that it had all come out.

“Jealous of who, exactly?” Priya asked with a scoff.

“Me? Hope? I really don’t know and frankly, I don’t actually care. But it seems that ruining other people’s relationships is kind of becoming your thing in here. And really, it’s not a good look,” Gemma said with a pitying look before turning to head off, not interested in anything else Priya had to say.

\-------------------------------------------

The rest of the day passed without them seeing much of Priya, who had been called to the Beach Hut immediately after the challenge and spent quite a while in there. In fact, many of them had been called in, which likely meant that the producers had gotten what they wanted out of Spin the Bottle in the end. When you spent all day on top of each other, it was unsurprising that the littlest thing might set them off. Not that what had happened with Priya had been little. 

One happy side effect was that Hope seemed to have decided that her issues with Gemma were inconsequential given what had happened with Priya. The two girls had been joined by Lottie by the pool, who wanted all the information she had apparently missed before they could just happily enjoy the sun. At one point, Chelsea had approached tentatively and the girls had welcomed her to join them on the condition there was no gossip or drama, just an enjoyable rest of the afternoon.

When night had descended and the couples spread out throughout the villa, Gemma found herself alone with Lucas for the first time since the challenge. In the wake of everything coming out, she had not said anything to him and was now wondering what was causing the worry evident on his face. Her legs were casually draped across his as they sat together on the terrace, taking a break from everything below.

“What’s wrong?” Gemma finally asked. 

Lucas was quiet a moment, seemingly lost in thought, before he turned to Gemma. “Just thinking, darling.”

“What about?”

“Nothing that important.”

Gemma frowned at the words because they were at odds with his face. She pulled her legs back, crossing them underneath her as she edged closer to him. This caught his attention. “You can talk to me, you know.” 

Lucas sighed and met her eyes. “I just didn’t much care for the challenge, I suppose.”

“I know,” Gemma agreed quickly. “I shouldn’t have said anything and dragged all that up about Priya…”

Lucas shook his head and reached a hand out to her, running his thumb softly across her cheek. “I didn’t mean that. I’m actually quite proud of you for how you handled it. You know I thought you should have just confronted her from the beginning.”

“You did,” Gemma agreed with a chuckle. 

“It’s just...I suppose I didn’t like watching you kissing some of the others,” Lucas said slowly, frowning at his own words. 

“I thought you might have enjoyed the kiss with Lottie,” Gemma said, trying to keep it playfully and getting rewarded by the sparkle in Lucas’s eye.

“Oh well that I certainly did enjoy,” Lucas agreed. “But…well, really it was just when you kissed Henrik and Noah.”

“Not Rocco?”

Lucas scoffed. “No, I know you don’t take him seriously.”

“Nobody does, apart from Marisol, I suppose.”

“But the others...it bothered me and I didn’t like that it bothered me. I know you’re close with Noah, but you didn’t see how he looked at you after you’d kissed him.”

“We’re friends, Lucas,” Gemma said automatically.

“I know, I know. And I know you aren’t interested in Henrik. You had the chance to pick him and you picked me. It just caught me off guard when you went in for it like that.”

“I appreciate where you’re coming from, but it was just meant to be a bit of fun in a challenge, nothing serious.”

Lucas frowned and exhaled a heavy breath. “I know.”

“Lucas?”

He turned back to her and met her eyes, not entirely sure what he was going to see there. It was hard to read them as she opened her mouth to speak again. “I’m sorry if you were hurt by what I did in the challenge. I just…we’ve talked about it and I’m really not sure I’m ready to just jump back into something so serious with you, and…”

“No worries, darling, like I said,” Lucas said with a wink, the previous vulnerability gone and replaced by his usual smoulder. 

This was something that Gemma worried about with Lucas. When things got too heavy, he had a tendency to change the topic so that he could pull his mask back on. That was not to say Gemma minded looking at him, he really was so damn sexy, but she also wanted to be able to get past the walls to have a full serious discussion. 

He made to get up and Gemma allowed him to go ahead without her, saying she needed a little bit of a longer break from the rest of the villa. Really, it was a chance to clear her head as well. The comment that Priya had made earlier about Gemma moving on with Lucas. Was that how it appeared? Did it seem like she had just jumped from one person to the next? Logically, she knew it was not the same situation. Lucas and her had history outside these walls. It did make her wonder if she was really making the right decision, though. Things happened so fast inside the villa and it was hard to really tell what was real. 

She also could not help but wonder about what Lucas had said about her kisses during the challenge. Lucas was gorgeous in every sense of the word, routinely looking like he’d just stepped off a photo shoot. There was also this air about him of wanting to take care of his partner. That had been what it was like when they had briefly dated, at least, him always surprising her with little gifts or showing up unexpectedly to sweep her off to some glamorous event or dinner or whatever struck him. Then there was this other side of him that struggled to have open conversations about feelings. Possibly most significantly for Gemma, though, was his tendency towards jealousy. That was something that nagged at her and it was not something she knew if she could do long term. Part of it made her think of her ex-fiancee, which she knew wasn’t fair. Lucas was nothing like Callum. It was just the tension of the villa that made things seem so much worse. 

Rising from the bench, she tried to shake the thoughts from her head. It had just been a challenge and Lucas was trying to win her over, that was all. The kiss with Henrik had just been surprising because she had not said she was going to go full on. And Noah was just her friend. Sure, the kiss had been far better than Gemma had expected, but it did not mean anything. It was all just a bit of fun which Gemma felt she really needed given the last few days. Gemma made to leave the terrace and join the other Islanders, some of whom she could hear below. Maybe there were more conversations still to be had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise the chapters are going to be coming back to at least once a week from here on, just hit a bit of a rut in this pre-Casa bit. 
> 
> Thank you all for sticking with me, it means the world.


	26. The Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With single Islanders Chelsea and Jakub in the mix, it's time to re-couple. And two of our Islanders are realizing that they really might not be as good together as they thought they were. It's Love Island and anything can change.

It really was never quiet on Love Island, but the day after Spin the Bottle was off to a relatively easy start, all things considered. Gemma found herself in the kitchen, keeping it relatively simple as she made omelets for her and Hope. Hope, who was incredibly thankful to have Gemma cooking for her, sast perched on a stool, her long braids falling around her face. 

“Oh!” Hope said suddenly, causing Gemma’s eyes to look up sharply from the skillet. “You missed it last night.”

“What?”

Hope looks around to make sure nobody else is too close by. Satisfied, she leans forward and lowers her voice. “Noah and Priya had a bit of a row last night?”

“What?” Gemma scrunches her face trying to process the information. “Why?”

“Well, that little…” Hope began but Gemma just looked at her, causing Hope to sigh. “Fine, Priya had approached him to ask where his head was at, or something, I guess she thought there might be a chance to get to know each other further.”

“Bold of her.”

“Isn’t it?” Hope took a quick breath. “Well, anyway, he told her that after all the pain she had caused to the people in here that he was closest to, he just didn’t really want anything to do with her.”

“Bet she took that well.” Gemma chuckled as she folded the eggs over to close the omelet. 

“Oh, she was livid! She went off about how he was blind and that she would be much better for him if he’d just open his eyes,” Hope said, unable to contain her own enjoyment. It was clear her friend was pleased that Priya had been shot down. Gemma just smirked as she pressed the omelet down before flipping it over to make sure both sides were done. “I’d be getting so distracted right now.”

Gemma looked up in confusion only to see Hope eyeing the breakfast that was coming out perfectly. With a shrug, Gemma returned her eyes to the pan. “I’m comfortable in the kitchen.”

“Lucky,” Hope said enviously. “Anyway, Priya was still carrying on and Noah finally said that he just wanted to make it clear that he was done and that he officially wanted to break if off with her.”

“To be fair, he should have done that as soon as she picked him.”

“He should’ve done, but at least he’s done it now.”

Gemma slid the omelet onto a plate and put it in front of Hope, who’s face lit up. “And it must feel nice to know he’s done it for you.”

“Honestly, Gigi, I think he did it for both of us. He cares about you too, you know?” 

At that, Gemma looked up again to gauge Hope’s reaction. There did not seem to be any bitterness or annoyance there, which allowed Gemma to relax. They had their friendship back and Gemma did not want anything to hurt that. Gemma glanced back down at the pan to wipe it out and start in on her own breakfast.

“He’s been a good friend to me in here. You both have.”

“I’m glad we’re back to that. I may have starved otherwise.”

“Oh nice to hear you only like me because I feed you.”

“Is there another reason to like someone?”

The girls both laughed at the ridiculousness of the question. It was nice to be able to fall back into the familiar rhythm. Even though Gemma was getting along well with Lottie, Hope was definitely the girl that she was closest to and it was not a secret to anyone. Some of the others found Hope difficult to be around. Truthfully, she could be loud and had a tendency to want to take control of a situation. But there was much more to it than that and there was much more to learn for anyone that was willing to try, as Gemma had been.

It was unusual to get a chance alone like this, undisturbed by other Islanders. When they did get those moments, they appreciated them. There was also the nagging in the back of Gemma’s head though that the producers had said that was the perfect time to have chats about their relationships within the villa. With a sigh, Gemma figured she had better dive into that.

“So,” Gemma began, “we’re bound to have a recoupling soon.”

“I’d imagine so with two new people.”

“I wonder if it’ll be boys choice since we picked last time.”

Hope sighed heavily as she met Gemma’s eyes. “That would make sense, wouldn’t it?”

“Why the heavy sigh? You don’t have to worry about someone else choosing Noah.”

“Right, but I have to worry about Noah choosing me when...well, it’s just not working. He’s a great guy, I want it to work, but it’s just...not.”

This was the first time Gemma could recall admitting it so bluntly. They had talked at length about both of their relationships so far in the villa. Gemma knew that things were not perfect between Hope and the librarian. It was still different for her to hear Hope say it so clearly. It was impossible to avoid wondering what had happened and Gemma finally had to open her mouth to speak.

“Is there someone you’d prefer getting to know?”

Hope shook her head sadly. “Honestly, not really. Henrik is great but his whole outdoors thing just doesn’t really fit with me.”

“I can’t really see you camping or hiking or any of that.” Gemma laughed at the thought and Hope swatted at her. 

“Enough, you. Jakub is just too into himself for me. Rocco isn’t someone that strikes me as mature...or faithful for that matter.”

“Agreed.”

“And Gary, well what do I say about him? He’s nice, I suppose, but he’s such a lad. That just leaves me with Noah.”

Gemma raised an eyebrow. “You are forgetting someone, you know?”

“You’re with Lucas, he doesn’t count.” Hope waved her hand dismissively.

“Are you interested? I won’t be mad if you say you are, as long as you tell me about it.” Gemma was genuinely curious in the answer as she studied her friend. 

Hope took a moment to think on it as she sucked her lower lip between her teeth. “I honestly hadn’t really thought about it. I think him and I would have too much of a power struggle in that dynamic.” 

“That’s fair.” The response had made Gemma chuckle.

“I need someone who’s strong enough to stand up to me and tell me when I’m wrong and to challenge me, but also okay with me wanting to have a successful career on my own, separate from being his partner.”

“Do you think that could be Noah?” 

“I don’t know.” 

Hope’s answer had come surprisingly quickly, which led Gemma to believe that she did know and that the answer was no. Could Noah do that? Gemma really wasn’t sure either. As she was about to open her mouth Lucas and Henrik came wandering toward the kitchen and any conversation they had been hoping to have was effectively over. 

\------------------------------------------------------------

It was another afternoon and another challenge as the Islanders all gathered on the stage. Today’s challenge had the guys dressing up as cowboys and going through several tasks. The girls were all happily standing to the side ready to judge just who was the sexiest of them all. As Lottie put it, there was nothing better than getting to be superficial for a minute.

The boys had to start by stripping down to just their chaps before hopping onto a mechanical bull. It would be up to them to make it look as sexy as possible while doing it. While riding the bull, they would have to toss a ring onto one of the pegs on the wall. Finally, they would end by lassoing the girl of their choice and finishing it with a kiss. 

Rocco was up first and it was clear he was kind of out of his element. The biggest surprise, though, was him kissing his own partner instead of choosing another girl. The challenge carried on with some incredibly sexy moments mixed in with some slightly awkward ones. It was fair to say that some of the guys just moved a lot better than others. Gemma was pleased, though, that it seemed all of the guys were taking it seriously and trying to impress the girls.

When it was all said and done, the girls put their heads together to discuss the winner, even though they had really already chosen. There had been one boy that really stood out from the rest and had seemed more than comfortable in making everything about the whole thing sexy. With a slightly begrudging Priya, who did not seem to want Gemma’s partner to win, the girls ended up with a unanimous vote for Lucas. 

The girls broke apart and Gemma stepped forward. Her eyes landed on Lucas immediately and she was unsurprised to find a slightly smug smirk on his lips. As soon as she announced him the winner, everyone clapped and he swept her up in his arms, kissing her almost as full on as he had in the challenge. He only put her down when a text rang out. It was not surprising, given he had won the challenge. 

“ _Islanders, there will be a recoupling tonight and the boys will be choosing. Lucas, as a prize for winning today’s challenge, you’ll be picking first #saddleup #pickyourpartner_ ”

“Well,” Hope said breaking the silence that followed the text, “I guess it’s time for a recoupling.”

“I can’t wait!” Chelsea squealed. “I wonder which of you boys will pick me.”

That was more of a question than many of the Islanders wanted to admit. Many of the couples did not seem solid at the moment and there was a bit of an uneasy feeling hanging over the group. Of course, Chelsea was unaware of this as she was just happy to get to couple up for the first time. There was also something to be said that nobody would be dumped as a result of that night’s recoupling.

Gemma’s eyes turned to Lucas, still standing close to her after she had announced him as the winner. Where others seemed uneasy, he was all quiet confidence as his eyes bore into hers. Had she really been having second thoughts just yesterday? There was something like electricity passing through the air between them and Gemma couldn’t help but to think of Lucas’s lips on hers during the challenge. It was more full on than he had kissed her in a challenge so far and there was something about it that just had her head spinning.

Lucas reached out to bridge the space between them and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her tight against his body. From this position, Gemma had to tilt her head up to meet his eyes. His face bore his usual smolder, showing only confidence, but close like this Gemma could feel that his heart was trying to beat out of his chest and she knew he was nowhere near as calm as he wanted her to believe.

“I certainly know who I’m picking,” Lucas said in a low, velvety voice. 

“Well after a kiss like that, I’d hope so,” Gemma responded.

“Which kiss?” 

“Either, both.”

“I can promise plenty more kisses like that.”

Gemma was not one to get flustered often but she swallowed hard at the meaning behind his words and the way his eyes had gone darker as they raked over her. She felt incredibly exposed and yet also found that she did not mind it. There was just this comfort with his arm around her and she could not even explain it. All she knew was that she certainly enjoyed it. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------

The girls stood uneasily on the other side of the firepit, across from the boys who looked from calm to completely uncertain. There was a level of calm because they were evenly matched. At the same time, everyone had their ideal person they wanted to end up with and with new people in the mix, as well as whatever was happening with Priya, there were a lot of things up in the air. A lot also depended on the order the boys were instructed to pick. For his part, Jakub looked haughty as he surveyed the girls, clearly enjoying being in a position of power. The silence carried on until a beep broke through. Gemma knew that she should not be worried. Lucas had won the challenge and he was picking first. His phone beeped and he stood without consulting it, angling himself instead to face Gemma.

“I think it’s fair to say it’s been a bit of an interesting journey for me in here. I didn’t make it a secret that I came in focused on one girl and I wasn’t really willing to see anyone else. I hated the reason she became single again, but I was so glad to get to give it another go with her. She’s smart, funny, and can absolutely put me in my place when she needs to. Plus, look at her, she’s stunning. So, the girl I’d like to couple up with is...Gemma,” Lucas said and Gemma found herself smiling wide as she tried not to run over to him. He snaked his arms around her back and bent down to kiss her deeply.

They took their seats and Gemma noticed Jakub making a face at the pair of them as if he were annoyed. Gemma shook it off and looked back to the girls still standing before her. Jakub went next and unsurprisingly picked Priya. Noah followed and got back together with Hope although some of the spark that had been there previously was nowhere to be found. When Rocco’s phone went off next, he jumped to his feet, smiling wide.

“I’d like to couple up with this girl because I just feel that my soul is drawn to hers. When I look at her, I can just tell our auras are aligned and that we’re destined to have adventures wherever we go. This girl is exactly what I need and I’m excited to see where our journey takes us. The girl I’d like to couple up with is…,” Rocco started and Marisol took a subtle step forward, “Chelsea.”

“What?” Marisol nearly screeched. 

“Oh!” Chelsea said, looking shocked as she glanced from Rocco to Marisol and interestingly, back to Henrik. 

“Are you kidding me right now? You’re pieing me off and you didn’t even think to tell me?” Marisol’s face had gone red. 

“I’m sorry but I can’t deny what my heart wants,” Rocco said as if it were no big deal.

“We’re talking about this later,” Marisol said, crossing her arms and looking away.

Chelsea tentatively walked towards Rocco and turned her check when he tried to give her a kiss. They sat down and Chelsea left a bit of space between then. She sighed as Henrik looked at her before standing up to make his choice. 

“This isn’t how I was expecting tonight to go, but I’m still excited to give something new a shot. I’ve spent a bit of time chatting to this girl the last few days and I think there’s actually much more to her than some of us have realized. Even though this may come out of the blue, I’m excited to see where this goes. The girl I’d like to couple up with is...Lottie,” Henrik said and Gary’s head sharply jerked toward the other man. 

Lottie, for her part, actually looked pleased. She shrugged at Gary before turning her attention to Henrik and trying to hide a small smirk. When she reached him, he bent down and placed a kiss on her cheek before taking her hand and sitting down. Lottie seemed perfectly fine when Henrik readjusted to put an arm around her. It seemed things with her and Gary really hadn’t been going as well as she would’ve liked. He stood, still looking over at Lottie with Henrik, and Marisol continued with her arms folded across her chest. The two of them had been coupled up already. It had resulted in Marisol and Rocco running around behind everyone’s backs. Gemma doubted this time would be any different.

Once the recoupling was officially over, there were a number of conversations that became necessary. Marisol dragged Rocco off somewhere as Gary asked Lottie if they could go for a chat. Chelsea, having been left alone by Rocco, tentatively approached Henrik asking if they could chat. It was clear that she had expected to end up coupled with the wilderness and climbing instructor. 

Gemma, Lucas, Hope, and Noah wandered in the direction of the kitchen, all seemingly much more pleased with how things had gone than the others. Well, Jakub and Priya had immediately disappeared, but that was something Gemma did not want to think about. Once in the kitchen, Lucas set to making them all something to drink. It seemed necessary with the fallout that was likely to come from the way the second half of the recoupling had gone. 

When Henrik turned out a little bit later, he hesitantly pulled Lucas away to chat about things. Lucas did not have any friends like Henrik outside of the villa, but there had been something about the two men coming in together that appeared to have bonded them. Then, when they both survived two boys being dumped, their bond had been solidified. Lucas gave Gemma a quick kiss to her temple before following his new friend off for a chat. 

Wanting to give Hope and Noah a moment alone, Gemma excused herself and headed out of the kitchen. The recoupling had gone less dramatically than it could have even considering they had almost entirely new couples again, except for Gemma and Lucas sticking together. Thankfully, though, Jakub had picked Priya, a decision she had seemed delighted with, which should have allowed the rest of the recoupling to flow smoothly. Then again, Rocco did not seem to be able to make his mind up about what he wanted. Gemma would have felt bad for Marisol if it had been anyone else, but Marisol just made it so hard to even begin to like her.

Without even seeming to realize that she was headed there, Gemma’s feet carried her up to the terrace. She was not sure what had brought her here after she had wanted to give Noah and Hope space. Usually she felt drawn to the terrace when she had something on her mind, but things were good now, weren’t they? She had been having some doubts about Lucas and then seeing him in the challenge seemed to put everything into place for her. So, why was she having doubts now that she was separated from him and by herself again?

The cool breeze brought goosebumps to Gemma’s arms as a slight shiver passed over her. It actually sounded relatively quiet in the villa below, most people having split off into small groups to talk about the recoupling. There was a separation from it all on the terrace though and Gemma’s ears filled with the sounds of summer all around her, quiet and peaceful. She was lost in thought when the door to the villa opened and pulled her attention away. Noah appeared through the doorway and took a second before he realized she was there either.

“Oh, sorry Gigi, didn’t realize you were up here,” he said and sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“You look like you could use a friendly ear,” Gemma said, patting the seat beside her. 

There was a moment of relief that passed over Noah’s face as he came to take a seat beside Gemma. In another moment, Gemma was not sure if she had imagined the relief as his face looked tense again.

“Recouplings always leave us feeling a bit tense, don’t they?” Noah mused and Gemma chewed at her lower lip.

“I suppose.”

“I’ve spoken to Hope, I’m sure she’s talked to you as well, we both agreed it just isn’t working.” 

“I’m sorry, Noah.”

“I shouldn’t be bothering you, I know how close you two are.”

Gemma gently placed a hand on Noah’s arm and was confused as to why he tensed at her touch briefly before relaxing again. “I’m friends with both of you, so I just want what’s best.”

“I’m not sure what that is, honestly.”

“Do you agree with Hope that it isn’t working?” 

Gemma studied Noah as he put his head into his hands, seeming just exhausted with it all. It was easy to relate to that feeling. Being in the villa was entirely different than what Gemma thought that it might be. When you watched on TV, it just seemed like fun, sun, challenges, and a whole lot of snogging, with drama that was likely manufactured. What you could not see was how intense everything became in the confines of the villa without any outside influences or connections. There was no connection to the outside world, apart from them occasionally taking selfies to post to the socials or answering viewers questions in the Beach Hut. That all seemed manufactured as well, though, like they didn’t want the Islanders to have the full picture.

Someone else may have thought that Noah was just going to dodge the question, but Gemma knew him well enough to know that he was the kind of person who thought something through before saying it. He was more reserved than some of the other guys in the villa. Finally, he lifted his head again to look at Gemma.

“Yeah, I do agree with Hope. I think it was easy at the beginning with us. She was so strong and confident and she just picked me and it didn’t matter that it takes me longer to open up to people.” 

“And now?” 

Noah took another moment before answering, feeling Gemma’s soft gaze on him. “I think she needs someone a bit more assertive than me. That’s just not who I am.”

“But, what do you need?” 

Gemma’s tone was soft and concerned, which somehow had not been what Noah was expecting. He looked up and met her big blue eyes as they studied him with a curiosity. He had not been sure that he would be able to talk to her so candidly. Truthfully, Gemma had always said she was friends with both of them, but he had assumed she really just felt close to Hope. Then he remembered how she had opened up about her past relationships and why everything with Bobby had hurt so bad. He was lucky to have also found a friend like her.

“I’m not sure,” Noah finally answered and Gemma frowned at him.

“You do know, you just won’t say it.”

“Sometimes you let me get away with those.”

“Not this time,” Gemma countered quickly.

Noah sighed. “I suppose that I need someone a bit more relaxed, who can just let me go at my own speed. I think I need someone that’s happier to just go with the flow sometimes and not have everything be planned or organized or set up a certain way.”

“That sounds fair.” Gemma considered for a second if she should say what she was really thinking for a moment before continuing. “But it doesn’t sound like Hope.”

The two of them glanced at each other. Noah had not been willing to say it so definitively out loud the way Gemma had. But she was right. Things were not working and there was no point in forcing them. The whole point of Love Island was supposed to be to find love, even if some people just came on the show for a fun vacation. 

“No,” Noah finally said. “It doesn’t sound like Hope.”

“It’s better to have realized it now than at the finale,” Gemma reasoned, placing a hand gently on Noah’s arm again.

“You’re right.”

Gemma shifted her position, uncrossing her legs only to recross them with the other on top this time. She looked over at Noah, who was looking down at his hands, seemingly lost in thought as to what he should do next. 

“What are you going to do now?” 

Again, Noah thought for a moment before raising his head to meet her eyes. There was a conflict there that she could not quite place or understand. Noah had always been more reserved and she usually saw some depths to him that he just was not willing to share yet. Now it looked like something different. As she continued to try and place it, it was gone again.

“I’m not sure I know,” Noah admitted.

“You haven’t gotten to know the other girls in here, maybe you are well matched with someone else.”

“It’s hard for me to get to know the girls. It takes me longer to open up.”

“You’re plenty comfortable with me,” Gemma pointed out.

“It’s different with you,” Noah said immediately. “You don’t make me feel pressured to say something to fill the silence.”

“You’re going to figure it out, I think. You just have to be open to finding the right connection and not just fall into something that’s easy,” Gemma said and Noah nodded. “I love both Hope and you, so I want you both to be happy.”

“I appreciate that,” Noah said, genuine appreciation flowing from him.

With that, Gemma gave Noah a final smile and said that she ought to head back down to find Lucas. When Hope had first brought it up earlier that day, Gemma had been worried about what would happen with her two closest friends. Now, having heard Noah’s thoughts on it, she was actually really proud of them. It was a mature way to handle things. Although, it remained to be seen what would happen when one of them was the first to form a connection with someone new. Gemma was hopeful that they would be able to find a way forward. The villa was small and she wanted at least her closest friends to still be happy.

Lucas had finished his chat with Henrik and was back in the kitchen with a group of Islanders. It seemed that the tensions had died at least for the moment and everyone seemed to agree that anything else could wait until the morning. For now, they were all just here to have a drink before winding down and heading to bed. Tomorrow was a new day and none of them could possibly know just what the producers had in store for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thank you to Sarah for coming through with the perfect challenge from the show.


	27. In the Middle of the Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Hot as a fever  
> Rattle of bones  
> I could just taste it  
> Taste it  
> If it's not forever  
> But there's just tonight  
> Oh we're still the greatest"
> 
> Sex On Fire - Kings of Leon

It felt like it was the middle of the night as Gemma looked out from the kitchen onto the dark and peaceful backyard. She brought her water bottle to her lips slowly, enjoying the moment to herself. Her annoyance at forgetting to refill her water bottle before going to bed was drifting off, even if she knew it would likely be difficult to get back to sleep now. A door opened and closed from somewhere and Gemma turned her head in the direction of the sound, seeing Lucas appear from the darkness after another moment. Gemma paused lifting the water bottle to her lips to rake her eyes over Lucas’ bare chest, appreciating the lines of his muscles in the dim moonlight. When she realized he had stopped moving, she dragged her eyes back up to meet his and found him smirking at her, a glint in his eye.

“Am I that distracting you can’t even take a drink?” His voice was low and inviting. Goosebumps prickled all over her body that had nothing to do with the temperature outside. 

Gemma wanted to roll her eyes at him but she couldn’t seem to form even a sarcastic retort at the look he was giving her. He continued toward her and she found herself almost holding her breath. Reaching her, he ran a hand slowly up her arm, watching her body react just to the simple touch. 

“I wasn’t expecting to wake up alone in bed in the middle of the night.” 

His voice was still low and something about it made Gemma’s heart flutter a bit as she swallowed, preparing to answer. Her mouth felt bone dry despite the drink she had come out for. “I was thirsty.”

“Were you now?” Lucas raised an eyebrow as he asked the question. Gemma was internally kicking herself. She had been around him for days. Why was she suddenly like a teenager again, unable to even respond to him.

“And I suppose I couldn’t sleep.”

“Well, we can’t have that.” 

Lucas had moved behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against his chest. His words were whispered against her ear, the heat of his breath causing her to shiver in his arms. He carefully plucked the water bottle from Gemma’s hand and placed it on the counter. Lucas knew that she was waiting to see what would happen next and knew that she was waiting for him to make the move. It was somehow the most relaxed he had felt her, leaning back into him, and something about that made him want her all the more. He brushed her long blonde hair to the side and her body seemed to lean into even his slightest touch. 

Gemma could not explain her body’s reaction to Lucas at the moment and honestly, she did not want to try to explain it. It felt right and she was not about to overthink this one. His touch was delicate, almost lazy as he moved one of his hands back down to her hip and gripped it, holding her against him as if she wanted to be anywhere but there. There was also something about the sensation of feeling him pressed behind her without being able to see him that was adding to the moment. She had no idea what he might do next and frankly, she didn’t care while she felt the heat radiating from his body. All she wanted was for him to stay close to her.

The air felt charged around them and it seemed like everything else had dulled. Lucas pressed his lips gently to the hollow of Gemma’s neck and she leaned further back into him, drawing a chuckle from his lips. Instead of saying anything, though, he continued his trail of kisses up her neck, across her jaw, before finally reaching her pulse point. He sucked her soft skin into his mouth and lightly bit down, a gasp escaping from Gemma’s lips as his reward. He ran his tongue almost lazily up her neck and then blew gently, the simple sensation leaving Gemma shivering again. 

She wanted to kiss him, to press her body against his. This slow pace was almost driving her mad as he continued to her other side, moving her hair back in the process, and trailed kisses from her shoulder all the way up her neck. Her hands gripped the counter in front of her to keep herself steady. It was crazy, they were just kisses, and yet they were completely driving her crazy. Gemma felt that every bit of her bare skin must be on fire every place his lips had touched it. Every chill had nothing to do with her only being in her sleepwear and everything to do with the man behind her, teasing her like he knew her every thought. 

Finally, Lucas used his hands to turn Gemma around to face him. Her eyes had adjusted to the lack of light and she could see that Lucas’s eyes had gone several shades darker. She leaned back into the counter and he placed a hand on either side of her, pressing his body against her. Gemma was not sure why she was reaching out tentatively to wrap her arms around Lucas’s waist, but the move was unsure, a fact Lucas did not miss. He raised an eyebrow at her as she pulled at him, closing any tiny space between them. Their eyes met and Lucas finally saw just as much desire in hers as he knew must be in his own.

Without waiting for anything else, Lucas pressed his lips hard, almost demandingly, against Gemma’s. She gasped in surprise, but quickly got over the suddenness of the kiss. He sucked her lower lip between his teeth, nipping down again and noting Gemma’s whimper with satisfaction. It was so incredible for Gemma to have a moment alone with Lucas like this, where they could just explore each other without an interruption. She ran her nails up and down his back and felt pleasure in the low growl that came from the back of his throat. 

Lucas pulled away and scooped Gemma up into his arms, placing her on the edge of the counter. They were much closer to being at eye-level now. Gemma parted her legs and reached out to take hold of Lucas’s waistband, pulling him between her legs and against her. If he was surprised, he did not show it, wasting no time to let his lips meet hers again. He ran his hands up her thighs as he slid his tongue back into her mouth, the kiss getting heated. 

As the kiss got more and more desperate, Lucas moved one hand to the back of Gemma’s neck, holding her lips against his. His other hand traveled from her thigh further up until it was at the entrance of her loose fitting shorts. It was an awkward angle, but he slid his thumb inside and ran it slowly up her slit, finding it was already painfully wet for him. She tried to squirm under his touch, but he used his hand behind her neck to keep her in place. Not being able to move, she tried to shift her hips closer to his finger. Lucas pulled back with a chuckle, still keeping his hand behind her neck.

“So impatient,” Lucas said and Gemma was amazed he didn’t sound as breathless as she felt. 

“Please,” Gemma said, eyes wide as Lucas continued to stroke up and down her slit much slower than she wanted.

“I love that you’re so wet for me,” Lucas purred back, having leaned into her so that his lips grazed her ear. 

Gemma whimpered when he finally slid a finger inside her, which was quickly followed by another. His movements were still slow, though, and Gemma felt her eyes flutter close. A second later, his fingers stilled inside her and she snapped her eyes open.

“I want you to look at me,” Lucas said quietly. “Can you do that?”

Gemma nodded and Lucas raised an eyebrow, still not resuming his motions. “Yes.”

“Good girl,” Lucas said.

His fingers started pumping into her again and she clapped a hand over her mouth to muffle her moans. Lucas wanted to watch her body react and did not press his lips to hers again to help catch the moans. He moved his thumb so that it brushed over her clit and she tried to throw her head back, but he kept it looking at him. The intensity in his gaze at her was really only turning her on even more. 

Without warning, he removed his hand from the back of her neck and used it to pull her shorts further to the side. He cast one look at her before lowering his mouth to join his fingers. He removed his fingers and languidly ran his tongue up her folds, eyes trained on her during the movement. She reached for his hand and he watched as she sucked his fingers that had just been inside her into her own mouth, swirling her tongue around them as she tasted herself. Lucas allowed her to continue sucking his fingers a moment longer before retracting them and sliding them back inside her. At the same time, he gently flicked his tongue across her clit and sucked it into his mouth. Gemma’s back arched, pushing her further into him as her hand flew to her mouth again to muffle her noises. 

Lucas doubled his efforts. He wanted to watch her come undone and it wanted to it be by his hand. He could tell that she was trying to keep watching him and that only turned him on more. His own desire was almost forgotten in watching her. Almost. She clenched around his fingers and he continued to pump his fingers in and out to allow her to ride out her high. 

Gemma’s eyes closed and head fell back. She still had one hand clutching the edge of the counter to keep her upright, but that was it. Her relief came in waves and when she opened her eyes, Lucas was raising his head from between her thighs, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. She didn’t think twice about it. She just reached back out and pulled him against her again, crashing her lips into his. As she tasted herself on his lips, she could tell she had caught him off guard, but he quickly wrapped his arms around her and met the kiss. Gemma’s hand ran down his stomach, feeling his muscles tense under her touch until she was able to slide her fingers inside his waistband. She wrapped her fingers around his already hard cock and smiled into the kiss as she elicited a moan from him. Gemma slowly stroked him, feeling him twitch in her hand, but purposefully not speeding up. Two could play at that game, after all.

It felt like their bodies were melding together. Gemma felt her pulse everywhere and yet it still wasn’t enough. She wanted to be closer to him, to feel more of him, just to get anything that she could. The feeling overwhelmed her and she did not know what to do. Almost as if reading her mind, Lucas slipped the thin straps of her top down her shoulders, following the path with his lips, burning her skin every place they touched. 

This was almost too much for her senses. It was like she had been parched all her life and was finally able to drink freely. Lucas’s lips found their way to her breast and her hand faltered from its place around his cock. It did not seem fair to be taking so much from him and giving so little in return, yet he was not complaining. She moaned again and he dragged his lips up to hers, kissing her so hard that she lost her breath for a moment. Lucas leaned back into her and she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him tight against her.

A moment later, Lucas wrapped his arms around her and hoisted her off the counter. Gemma gripped her thighs tighter around him, hooking one foot over the other. She had no idea how he was seeing anything with her body wrapped around his, but the next thing she knew, he had deposited her on one of the daybeds. She went to sit back up and he placed a hand on her shoulder, pushing her back. He reached down to slide her top over her head and pull her shorts down, leaving her exposed on the daybed. 

Gemma propped herself up slightly to take in the sight of him in the moonlight as he removed his own clothes. She admired the lines of his muscles down his chest and where the v disappeared into the pajamas he was removing. She admired the strength in his arms that had just been clutching her. She was still admiring his body when she noticed he was moving towards her. She glanced up and met his eyes and he lowered himself to the bed, coming to rest beside her. As she tried to reach out to him, there was a devilish glint in his eyes. Lucas took both her hands in his and pinned them above her. He ran a hand slowly down her body, watching her wriggle under his touch.

It was pure torture as Gemma watched Lucas trace his hand down her thigh and back up, he eyes following the movement of his hand closely. Gemma could not hold still and whimpered. She arched her back to his touch and he let out a low chuckle.

“Lucas, please,” Gemma begged in a whisper.

“Please what?” Lucas answered, not looking away from his fingers.

“Please, I want to…” Gemma started and gasped as Lucas lowered his mouth to her breast, rolling his tongue around her nipple.

“What is it you want, darling?” Lucas whispered against her breast, the heat of his breath sending chills to her very core.

“I want, I want to feel you inside me,” Gemma said heavily. 

“You should have just asked,” Lucas whispered. He kissed his way up her chest to plant a long kiss on her lips. 

Lucas moved himself so that he was hovering over her, having released her arms, which she still left over her head. He parted her legs, pulling one over his shoulder, as he lined himself up at her entrance. He entered her quickly, completely filling her and took satisfaction in the way her back arched in welcome. Lucas placed a hand on her hip to keep her pinned to the bed and started his slow thrusts. 

Again, Gemma tried to move her hands to Lucas. He released her leg from his shoulder, allowing it to fall as he grabbed both of her hands in his own and pinning them back to the bed. She moaned heavily against the pressure and how much it turned her on. Her body reacted to him as if it had always been made to fit in with his. Gemma had not really ever been restrained like this during sex either, so it was not even something that she knew she would be into. But, she found that the pain of her arms stretched over her head mixed with the crazy pleasure she was experiencing was a sensation she would like to repeat over and over again.

When Lucas picked up his pace, giving Gemma what he knew that she wanted, he bent down and captured her moan against his own mouth, their tongues dancing against each other as she began to meet his thrusts in time. Lucas tried to keep her pressed against the bed, but could not stop her back from arching to meet him. He had to keep kissing her so that his own moans would not get too loud. At first, their tongues had been fighting for dominance until Gemma gave herself over to Lucas completely, letting him dictate how everything was going. Everything about it excited her. 

Gemma’s whole body felt like it was going to explode and she threw her head back, breaking the kiss from Lucas. She did not notice the questioning look he gave her.

“Fuck, Lucas, I’m so close,” Gemma hissed in a low, broken voice.

Lucas said nothing but his thrusts became harder and faster, chasing his own relief. Gemma’s walls clenched around his cock and her eyes rolled back into her head. He continued through her spasms, guiding her through her high and his thrusts becoming erratic. He followed her over the edge and collapsed onto her body, both of them breathing hard.

\------------------------------------------

Gemma felt herself coming out of her sleep and her cheeks were flushed. Had that been just a dream? It had seemed so vivid and real. With her eyes still closed, Gemma could feel Lucas’s lips lingering on hers, his hands exploring her body, the moment when he had finally slid inside her. Her cheeks flushed at the thought of it. It was silly to worry that someone else could tell what she had been dreaming. Even if someone saw her cheeks were flushed and a smile was hinting at her lips, they were not mind readers, not even Lottie. Besides, the lights appeared to still be off in the bedroom since there was no brightness against her eyelids.

That was when a thought occurred to her. Maybe she should recreate the dream that she had just had. She smiled to herself and stretched, not realizing that she had not felt anyone else in the bed with her. Still smiling, she opened her eyes and looked to her side, but Lucas was not in the bed with her. It was odd. She was usually up before him.

Without a second thought, Gemma swung her legs over the side of the bed and wandered outside, wondering if he might already be up and working out or else in the kitchen getting something to drink. However, she quickly realized that he was nowhere to be found. After checking the roof terrace, which was also empty, she returned to the bedroom and looked closer at the beds. None of the boys were there and that was when her stomach sank. How far were they into their time in the villa? Was it already time for that all important test?

As if on cue, Gemma’s phone went off and she hurried over to her bed. The other girls were reacting to the noise with groans as the lights came on suddenly. None of them seemed to have immediately noticed the beds were all half-empty.

“What time is it?”

“Too early for texts.”

“Someone get me some coffee.”

“Where are the boys?” 

It was Lottie’s question that made all the other girls realize what Gemma had already realized. The boys were gone and that likely only meant one thing. 

“I’ve got a text,” Gemma said tentatively, as five pairs of eyes met hers with mixed emotions.

“ _ Girls, get ready to enjoy the next few days without the boys as they’ve headed to Casa Amor. Don’t worry, though, we have all new boys to keep you company. #whilethecatsaway #themicewillplay _ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes you just have to have a chapter just for the smut, also known as the time I made a deal with Kat.
> 
> Sorry for throwing you all for a loop on that one, but I couldn't resist.


	28. While The Cat's Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys have been whisked away to Casa Amor and the girls are about to meet six brand new boys, brought in just to tempt them. Will we see new connections?

Gemma could not remember having collapsed on the edge of Hope’s bed after reading the text, but she was definitely sitting there now. The reactions around the room were mixed. Lottie looked cautiously optimistic, Marisol looked like she was up to something that could only be described as no good, Chelsea was her usual overly chipper self, Hope was trying not to look too interested, Priya’s expression was unreadable and Gemma was clearly the most upset.

“So they just had us recouple and then shipped the boys off?” Lottie asked.

“It’s not as if anyone could have been single going into the Casa Amor break,” Marisol said, looking pointedly at Chelsea.

“I had only just gotten the one guy who could actually handle me,” Priya mused, earning several eye rolls but getting no response.There was another beep.

“I got a text!” Marisol called, though it was entirely unnecessary. “ _ Ladies, get ready and head outside for breakfast. Your new arrivals will be here shortly. #chopchop #whathappensduringcasa _ ”

With that text, the girls slowly started pulling themselves out of bed and heading to the dressing room. Hope, knowing that Gemma was less than thrilled with this development, threw an arm around her friend for support. Gemma sighed and allowed Hope to lead the way out of the bedroom. 

There was nervous energy filling the villa as Gemma wandered over to her cupboard and began rifling through her bathing suits. The whole thing seemed ridiculous and she wanted to go back to bed where Lucas had starred in her dream. Hope came over and bumped her hip, nudging Gemma out of the way. She selected a simple red, one shouldered bikini with a ruffle along the neckline and a pair of wedges to match. It may have seemed a small gesture, but Gemma was appreciative of not having to put any effort into picking what she was wearing. Although she had stayed coupled with Lucas, she still was not entirely sure where they stood and that was her fault. It had been her that told him she was not sure what she was ready for. Now, it seemed like a cruel joke that this would be the time to split the villa apart. Would Lucas stay loyal to her? Did she want him to, or even expect him to?

The girls made their way outside and found a small spread for breakfast. Gemma selected a few different things, not paying that much attention, and took a seat at the table next to Hope. Chelsea was chattering away about who even knew what? But, Gemma would never say anything because she knew the bubbly blonde annoyed Marisol and anyone who annoyed Marisol was okay by her. That sounded petty even in Gemma’s head, but she could not be bothered to care how it sounded.

“What do you think the new boys will be like?” Chelsea mused.

“Hot and tempting, I’d imagine, that’s the whole point,” Lottie said and smirked to herself.

“Are you planning to switch then, babes?” Chelsea asked, seeming to be surprised. 

“I mean, I think it was clear that Henrik wanted to pick you,” Lottie chuckled with surprisingly no amount of annoyance in her voice. “I’m open to what happens the next few days, that’s all I’m saying.”

“I’d been expecting Rocco to pick me,” Marisol says and shoots a dangerous glare at Chelsea, “so I’m not really sure what I’m going to be doing. I guess I should keep my options open.”

“I think it’s obvious where my head is at,” Priya announced and Lottie scoffed, earning a glare from the older girl. “What? Have you got something to say to that?”

“It’s not been obvious where your head was at since the moment you walked up to the firepit,” Lottie shot back and Priya rolled her eyes.

“Because nobody in here could really handle me, but Jakub has already shown he can,” Priya said. “I think it’s pretty clear how strong our connection is.”

“Enough before I vom,” Lottie responded quietly and Priya opened her mouth to say something, probably something snarky, when Chelsea cut across.

“What about you, Hope?” Chelsea asked.

“She’s back with Noah, so everything is perfect for her,” Priya said with nearly a snort.

“My relationship with Noah is still none of your damn business, Priya,” Hope retorted.

“Here we go again,” Priya said and threw up her hands. 

“We’re about to get new boys and our boys are about to meet a bunch of new girls, can we just...chill?” Gemma asked.

“You’ve been quiet so far, what are you thinking?” Marisol asked and it came off as a challenge. 

Gemma sighed and sucked her lower lip between her teeth before answering. “I don’t know, but I guess the next few days will be good to get some clarity, at least.”

That seemed to settle them down for a short while at least, until the text came that they were to head to the firepit, that is. It was time to meet the new boys and they were all feeling something about that for sure. Hope strung her arm through Gemma’s as the girls wandered over to the firepit. Lottie and Marisol both seemed to want to claim the middle, which was fine with Gemma, she wanted to sit on the end anyway, hoping to pull less attention that way.

They were filled with anticipation as they awaited the first new boy, which did not take long. First up was a guy with dark skin and a dazzling smile. He introduced himself as Nicky and said he was a music tutor. They did not have much time to appreciate him as the next boy came out. He had a thin frame and it seemed a lot of nervous energy, but his blue eyes sparkled mysteriously. He gave an up nod at nobody in particular and announced his name was Kassam, no profession followed. 

There was something weirdly familiar about Kassam and Gemma found her eyes wandering back to him. In fact, she missed the next two boys out, a rugby player named Tai that was basically a giant and a dog groomer named Arjun who had thrown a cheeky wink at them all. When Kassam glanced over at Gemma, she quickly averted her eyes and had no idea why she had done it. The next guy out had short strawberry blonde hair and a number of tattoos across his body, but he was in good shape. Apparently Graham ran a fleet of fishing boats with his father and his uncle. It seemed an impressive feat for someone so young, even if it was part of a family business.

So far, Gemma was not really feeling tempted by any of the guys that they had brought out. Her eyes were drawn to Kassam because there was something that she felt like she recognized but couldn’t place. Tai was definitely attractive and there was an ease about him, but she didn’t find herself wanting to get to know more about him. Gemma was about to ask if they were bringing anyone else out, thinking it was odd that there were only five new boys, when her question was answered. Another boy walked out, almost as tall as Tai, but with a much quieter aura to him. 

_ Did I just think aura? Good lord, I’ve spent too much time in a villa with Rocco. _

He looked almost shy as he announced his name was Ciaran and that he was a bouncer. Something about that seemed so oddly out of place that Gemma could not help but to smile. If there was a definition for gentle giant, it was surely this boy. It was even more entertaining to think of him in a packed club, throwing drunks out onto the street. It seemed so at odds with the way he held himself now.

“So, what happens now?” Gemma asked as a text chimed out. She should have known. 

“I’ve got a text!” Priya announced and then rolled her eyes as she read it to herself first. “ _ Islanders, it’s time to break the ice with a little speed dating. Ladies, please head over to the tables that have been set up and have a seat. #speedydates #makeitquick _ ”

The girls wandered over to the tables which had been set up, each settling down at one. Hope and Lottie were closest to where Gemma sat, not entirely sure what the point of this whole exercise was. Graham stood, explaining that each guy would get two minutes with each girl and then a bell would go off, letting them know they should switch. Once they had sat down with each girl twice, the speed dating was done.

It was a whirlwind and honestly, at the end of it all, Gemma could not have told you what she actually learned about any of them. The only thing that she was sure of was that there was something familiar about Kassam and he was not going to make it easy on her to figure out what that something was. The whole thing had passed in a blur and it was impossible to tell which way was up or who had said what. Whoever had thought the idea of speed dating was smart was clearly delusional.

Now that the speed dating was out of the way, people started to break off into smaller groups, figuring that was an easier way to get to know people. Instead, needing to clear her head, Gemma just walked back over to the pool and sat down on the coping, dangling her feet in. This was definitely not what she was supposed to be doing and part of her just did not care. Ever since she had woken up from having a full-on, vivid sex dream with Lucas to find him missing, she was not sure what she was thinking for feeling. Her thoughts were interrupted, however, when someone sat down next to her. Gemma had been expecting Hope, or even Lottie, but certainly not the guy with the familiar face and piercing blue eyes.

“Finding it a bit busy too?” Kassam asked quietly and Gemma raised an eyebrow. “Or, I suppose you’re used to all this by now.”

“I’m not sure you ever really get used to it,” she said with a chuckle, “but you learn to forget the cameras, for your sanity, and it stops feeling completely crazy to be locked down with a bunch of sexy strangers.”

“Some stranger than others, I expect.” He smiled knowingly at that.

“No comment,” Gemma said with a smile of her own as she found herself trying to place his face again. 

“You know, you could just ask me if we’ve met before instead of trying to work it all out on your own,” he said, watching as Gemma’s eyes went wide and she blushed lightly.

“Have we met?” Gemma asked, now thinking the answer might be yes.

“Yea, at that music festival for a second before you ran off with...well before you left on your, what did you call it during that challenge? Vacation?” Kassam asked and smirked over at her.

“Oh god,” Gemma said and buried her face in her hands. 

“I doubt I’m the one that was making you say that at the time,” Kassam retorted and Gemma slapped him on the arm.

“You’re  _ the _ DJ! We were talking about doing a song and then I got…” Gemma started, biting her lip as she searched for the word.

“Distracted?” Kassam offered.

Gemma could feel herself going red and buried her face in her hands again briefly. “Sure, let’s go with that.”

“You know, I chatted with him before coming on the show. He’d heard one of my mixes and was interested in working on something, but I said I was literally about to leave for Love Island,” Kassam said and Gemma studied him.

“I hope you didn’t blow the shot,” Gemma said sincerely.

“Nah, he said he’d been watching, actually and to tell you he said hi,” Kassam said and Gemma’s jaw dropped before she narrowed her eyes at him.

“Now you’re just messing me about,” Gemma said and he shook his head, chuckling lightly.

“I’m not, actually,” Kassam said. “If it doesn’t work out with you and the posh boy, I’d say you could call him up when you’re out of here.”

Gemma rolled her eyes and laughed despite herself. In that moment, she thought that maybe the boys being whisked away to Casa Amor wouldn’t be the worst part of the summer. “We did just have a recoupling last night, I could be with someone else now.”

“You could be, but I would be shocked if you were,” Kassam said and Gemma frowned. “It’s not a bad thing, it just seemed like the obvious option.”

“Well, now that we’ve met again, and I’m significantly more sober this time, I  _ promise _ you, when we’re both out of here, we’ll make that collab happen for sure,” Gemma said.

“I’ll hold you to that,” Kassam agreed.

There was something to be said for a familiar face. Truthfully, Gemma could barely remember what she had said to Kassam back at that music festival. She had been too busy having fun and trying to enjoy her new-found freedom. Nobody had been completely sober and she vaguely remembered agreeing to do vocals on a track for him after he said he’d heard her on another track. It had also happened at the same time as she was planning to run away from everything, and everyone, instead of getting on her flight home as originally planned. Running just seemed much more appealing and it felt like a better option than heading back to a city where everything reminded her of a life she thought she would have forever.

Kassam also did not seem to be completely hitting on her, he made a joke or comment here and there, but mostly they just allowed things to carry on. Lottie joined them shortly after and it was easy to see that she had set her eyes on Kassam. That was fine with Gemma, especially with how Lottie had been warming to her over the last several days. If Kassam had shown interest in Marisol of Priya, that would have meant the end of her new found friendship. Gemma found herself again realizing this was  _ Love _ Island and at the same time thinking, there was no way to survive long enough to look for love without friendships to maintain your sanity.

“Hey there’s drinks over here!” Chelsea’s voice rang out over the villa. 

Honestly, nobody could sniff out drinks like that girl. Lottie, Kassam, and Gemma reluctantly rose from their spots by the pool and wandered over to where Chelsea was standing by a table, pouring sangria out into cups. Tai had stepped up to help the blonde ball of energy hand the drinks out. As she poured the twelfth cup, she kept it for herself and rose it into the air.

“Someone should make a toast,” Chelsea said. “I’m awful at this!”

“To new friends and continuing the search for love,” Hope said, seeming to surprise everyone including herself.

Everyone clinked glasses with whoever was closest to them before taking a sip. It was nice to have something else to drink besides the usuals and Gemma was certainly enjoying the sangria. Everything was seeming to be easy so far, emphasis on so far. 

“So, boys, who are you all interested in?” Marisol asked, raising an eyebrow at them. Leave it to Marisol to jump right into that. Gemma mentally fought an eye-roll.

“Fiery, I like it,” Graham said and Marisol smirked back at him. “How about you first, big guy?” 

Tai looked surprised at finding the attention suddenly on him. “Oh, uh, maybe Gemma? Or Chelsea, or maybe Priya?” 

“Some diverse taste there,” Hope joked, finding entertainment in it. Gemma shot her friend a bit of a glare, which earned her an even bigger smile from Hope.

“It’s definitely Hope or Gemma for me,” Arjun chimed in immediately, making Hope smile easily. “How about you, Nicky?” 

“I’d say Chelsea, I think, at least to start,” Nicky said. “Kassam?” 

“Gotta be Lottie,” Kassam said, which was obviously pleasing to Lottie. His glance fell on Gemma briefly before returning to Lottie.

“You’ve been quiet,” Graham said to Ciaran, “who’s caught your eye?”

“It’s a bit awkward to have to say in front of everyone,” Ciaran said, casting his eyes around the group, hoping for someone to save him. Nobody spoke up. “I guess, Gemma.”

There was something adorable about his shyness and Gemma found her gaze lingering on him as someone asked Graham and he said he was going to keep his answer to himself for now. Some of the other guys seemed bothered by it, but they had not been confident enough to just refuse to answer. The whole point of sending the guys to Casa Amor was to give everyone a chance to see if there was someone else that would be a better match. Maybe Gemma owed it to herself to keep an open mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant for this day to all be one chapter and here we are haha so day one of Casa Amor is to be continued.
> 
> As always, your comments and kudos mean the world!


	29. ...The Mice Will Play

A text had chimed out letting the girls know that they were to head to the boys changing room to pack up suitcases for their partners. Some seemed to be taking a bit more to the task than others. Marisol haphazardly threw Gary’s clothes into the provided suitcase without even bothering to see if she was packing things that matched. Then again, Gary kept his choices pretty simple and it was likely even Marisol couldn’t mess it up. On the other hand, Priya was carefully picking out Jakub’s obsessively folded clothes and placing them in the suitcase. At one point, she rushed out of the room to grab some of her perfume before spraying it on a piece of clothing and packing it away. The action had surprised Gemma. She was not sure if Priya was doing it for show or because she genuinely wanted him to be thinking of her while away. Was it possible that Priya actually cared about someone else in the villa?

Gemma was trying to put thought into what she packed for Lucas. He was nothing if not picky about the way that he looked. At the same time, she was not sure that she wanted to give him his best clothes to be wearing in front of some new girl at Casa Amor. She found herself blushing as she thought of her vivid dream and shook her head to clear it. Now was not the time for that. With a sigh, she returned to the task at hand, deciding to lay out outfit options to make sure it all matched. 

Despite her obvious issues with Rocco having picked her, Chelsea was putting her best foot forward, carefully considering each piece of clothing. That was when Gemma wondered if that was just the interior decorator in her, she could not help but put careful thought and consideration into every aesthetic decision.

———————————————————-

As a way to really welcome the new boys to the villa, they were having a Monte Carlo themed party that night. The girls had enjoyed getting ready, not even bothering to fight with each other. The idea of a themed party sounded fun and they were hoping that it meant the restrictions on the number of drinks they could have would have been relaxed slightly. Lottie had even offered to do Gemma’s make-up. While she was not usually one who liked to put a lot of effort into her look, she was not about to turn down an offer from the normally prickly girl.

Given the theme, the girls also wanted to make sure they looked their best. Production had provided a few extra options in case someone had not brought the right thing. Gemma, always prepared with dresses, had chosen a cream colored off the shoulder dress that hugged her curves tightly and showed off her sun tanned skin. The theme made it all feel different and fresh. That was clear in the atmosphere. 

The backyard of the villa had been decorated to the theme and even had tables with different casino games placed around. There were several bottles of champagne on ice and Chelsea wasted no time in heading straight over.

“I suppose we’re popping the champagne then,” Marisol mused, not even managing to hide the smile forming on her lips.

“I can’t resist some bubbles!” Chelsea said happily.

“How is it you find the drinks so quickly?” Gemma asked, genuinely amused.

“I’ve got a sixth sense for it, babes,” Chelsea said, tapping the side of her nose knowingly. 

They had already toasted and thankfully nobody suggested another toast. The music started playing and something about the mood was light. Without the original boys, there seemed to be a pseudo-truce amongst the girls. At least for the night, nobody was going to be worrying about what had happened during the last week or so. It didn’t matter who had picked who in the last recoupling and, thankfully, nobody was talking about what was happening in Casa Amore

Gemma grabbed Hope and pulled her out onto the makeshift dance floor that had been set up, immediately losing herself to the rhythm of the bass. On the few occasions where Gemma had allowed herself to just enjoy the music, Hope could not help but watch her friend. There was something so free about her and Hope was envious in a way. She knew that she could move as well, she’d never had any complaints about her dancing, but watching Gemma was almost like witnessing the most intimate moment. It was hard to really feel like you knew Gemma at times but she was never more vulnerable than when she truly lost herself to the music.

After watching Gemma for a moment, Hope shook herself into action and joined the dancing. Which was good timing, because Gemma had been about to drag her friend over. Gemma spun Hope around and the two girls began dancing. Chelsea had almost immediately followed them and the others followed behind her. It was one of those moments where you just don’t worry about anything because nothing else really matters that much. They also knew that the more fun it seemed like they were having, the less interference they would get from the producers looking for certain shots.

Without even thinking about it, Gemma pressed into the tall bouncer just behind her and moved her hips in time with the music. He tentatively placed his hands on her hips, seemingly unsure of how to keep up with her. That was not anything new. Besides, he was a bouncer and maybe that meant he did not like to spend a lot of time at clubs on his off nights. 

It was easy to forget they were still in Spain in the summer and when Gemma finally stopped to take a breath, there was sweat beading over her forehead and down her arms. It was as good a time as any to step away and let her body cool down a little bit.

Of course, they could not just drink and dance on a night themed around Monte Carlo and that was when the Islanders’ attention was drawn to a game table. Nicky received a text informing them that they were to take turns spinning. It would land on a person and an action and then whoever spun had to do whatever the action was. The actions were mostly things like kiss, dare, ask, and the like. All of their names were in a circle on the board in addition to two “Islander’s Choice” spots where the spinner got to pick. 

Hope stepped up to go first and the game was off. They had all been having some drinks and having a good time getting to know the new additions. This seemed as good a way as any to keep that momentum going. For her part, Hope was also seemingly very interested in getting to know the new boys. Outwardly, she was putting on the best fast that she could, but Gemma was also worried for her friend. Though Hope had said that the conversation with Noah had been a good one, and a necessary one, it still did not make it any easier to admit the relationship just had not worked. Of course, that was not the way that any of them should see it. They had not even been in the villa for 3 weeks yet. But, Hope had a lot of pride and she did not like to fail. Gemma was worried that Hope was throwing herself too much into things with the new boys to avoid feeling like something had failed.

It was Gemma’s turn and she found that she was a little nervous suddenly. She’d already been kissed by Hope and part of a three way kiss with Lottie and Kassam as a dare. Really, she knew there was no reason to be nervous. It was just a game that they had been told to play. The wheel stopped turning on Islander’s choice and the action was kiss. She cast her eyes around the group, deciding her best move here. Her eyes fell on Ciaran and a slight blush crept up his cheeks under her gaze.

Gemma did not think about it anymore than that as she walked up to him and placed a hand on either cheek to pull his face to hers. Their lips met as he wound his arms around her lower back, having to bend down due to their height difference. Kissing Ciaran was surprisingly easy. It was also considerably better than she had been expecting it to be. It was just supposed to be a stupid kiss in a challenge and Gemma found herself thinking about if she would be kissing him again.

After the game had died out, mostly on its own, Hope had called for the boys to give the girls a minute to chat. Some had been less willing to cooperate than others, but in the end they seemed to realize they needed to chat as well.

“Okay girls,” Hope said, dropping her voice to almost a conspiratorial whisper. “We’ve got six new boys and we’ve got to figure out sleeping arrangements.”

“And we really should be the ones to decide,” Lottie agreed.

“So, who does everyone want?” Hope asked.

“I want Kassam,” Lottie said quickly and then shot a tentative glance to Gemma. “I mean, if that’s okay with everyone else.”

“Fine by me, babes,” Gemma shrugged and the other girls murmured their assent, which seemed to please Lottie.

“I want a piece of Graham, I keep imagining him in a captain’s hat,” Marisol said. 

“And nothing else?” Hope added, causing Marisol to flush and nod.

“I’d really like to share with Nicky. He’s just…” Chelsea said, drifting off and then shivering, “you know?”

There were several murmurs of assent. Hope thought for a moment. “I think I’d like to share with Arjun, he seems a bit cheeky and I could do with a bit of that.”

“I’d actually like to share with Ciaran, I think,” Gemma admitted, causing Hope to raise her eyebrows but say nothing.

“Which is fine with me, I’m not too bothered by the new boys, but I could do worse than sharing with Tai,” Priya shrugged, throwing her hair over her shoulder.

“So, that’s settled?” Hope asked, unsure how they had just agreed on it all so easily.

“I mean, unless whoever we’ve chosen doesn’t want to share with us, I suppose so,” Gemma said. 

“Well, what’re we waiting for?” Marisol asked.

It seemed to have been implied that they were all going to ask the boys now and suddenly Gemma was feeling unsure about her decision. She liked Kassam, but really didn’t see it going beyond a friendship. Some of the other boys seemed a little extra. What she really wanted, and honestly needed, at that point was to have a little bit of space to sort out her head. This separation had come at an interesting time and Gemma figured she had better use it. If she was being honest, Ciaran was attractive, but there was something about him that also made her think his quiet nature would be helpful during the next few days.

“Hey, Ciaran, can I borrow you for a chat?” Gemma asked, interrupting a chat between him and Tai, which earned a smirk from Tai that Gemma studiously ignored. 

“Yeah, course,” Ciaran said and followed her over to the pool.

If he was surprised as she sat down and lowered her legs into the pool, he said nothing. Instead, he rolled the legs up on his own trousers, following Gemma’s lead in putting his legs in. 

“How’s your first day in here been?” Gemma asked, not wanting to get straight into asking him to share her bed.

“A bit wild, to be honest,” Ciaran admitted and Gemma smiled. It had not been what she was expecting.

“How do you mean?” 

“Well, I applied for the show kind of on a whim and then I found out I’d be coming in during Casa Amor which, like I’ve seen the show. There are better times to come in.”

Gemma considered what he had said for a moment, looking over at him thoughtfully. “I suppose it depends on how set people are in their couples. There could be worse times too.”

“I suppose,” Ciaran conceded. “Can I say something?”

“I think you just did,” Gemma observed with a smirk. “But go ahead.”

“I was surprised, when you kissed me during the game.”

Whatever she had been expecting him to say, it had not been that. She had not thought twice about it earlier. It was a game and she knew by this point what the producers would be looking for, so she just went for it, same as in Spin the Bottle. After a moment, where he had allowed her to think, she looked back over at him. “Why were you so surprised?”

“I dunno,” he began, looking back down at the water. “I suppose, from watching the show, it’s kind of hard to tell what your type is. You had Bobby first with his over the top personality, constant jokes, and all that. Then you coupled up with Lucas, who you’ve got history with, and, well, if I’m being honest, he’s probably the best looking bloke in the villa. But, he’s nothing like Bobby, he’s all intensity and expensive tastes. And they don’t even have any similar features. Then you have me, yet another lad, and not that I’m saying you’re interested, but I’m nothing like either of them. I wasn’t really sure what to expect.”

He was right and it was something that surprised people about Gemma. She looked down at the ripples their legs were making in the water and considered how to answer. As she thought, she sucked her lower lip between her teeth and let out a heavy breath.  _ Bad air _ , she’d say, whenever anyone asked, to let them know it had not been a sigh.

“I suppose you’re right. Honestly, though, none of my exes have really looked the same. I don’t even know that if you put them next to each other that they’d have much in common. I get drawn into a person and just let it unfold from there, usually.”

Ciaran seemed to smile at that. “It’s not a bad way to be.”

“It hasn’t exactly completely worked out for me either, though.”

“Why do you say that?   
  


“Well, I am here, aren’t I?”

The answer was so tongue in cheek that it actually made Ciaran chuckle a little bit, which Gemma joined in on. Even though she had met him just that morning, she found it was surprisingly easy to just sit with him.

“You’re not like I expected you to be, from watching the show, I mean.”

“What did you expect me to be like?”

“Ah, I’m smart enough not to answer that right now.”

Gemma smiled to herself at that. “Yeah, fair enough.”

“So, what were you girls talking about just before you grabbed me?”

_ Damn _ , Gemma thought to herself,  _ he’s observant.  _ Then again, the quiet ones always seemed to be. When you weren’t talking as much you paid a lot more attention to what was going on around you.

“Erm,” Gemma stalled, suddenly weirdly nervous. “We were talking about the sleeping arrangements with you new boys here.”

“And do we get a say in the matter?”

“Of course.” Gemma looked over at him only after answering to see that he was smiling at her and she relaxed again. “You were teasing me.”

He shrugged. “Maybe a little.”

“Since I have a feeling you’re going to make me ask, would you like to share with me?”

Her cheeks flushed a little at the question and she internally cursed herself. This was ridiculous. She still had feelings for Lucas and wanted to sort those out. Why was she blushing like a teenager just at asking a question on a damn dating show?

“I think you probably already knew the answer, but yeah, I would.”

That had been easy, not that Gemma had been all that concerned that it would be difficult and she felt better for having decided it. There was no knowing what the next few days would bring, there never was when it got to this point on Love Island, but at least she had someone she was curious about to weather the storm with. The girls had all been on the same page for the first night, but how long could that really last with the personalities in the mix?

“I suppose we should go start getting ready for bed,” Gemma said. 

“Yeah, we should do,” Ciaran said and rose from the pool, holding a hand out to help Gemma get up.

She took his hand easily and appreciated the softness of it. It was almost as soft as his gaze on her, his green eyes showing nothing but genuine warmth. Everything about him honestly seemed at odds with the whole concept of the show. Gemma shook the thoughts from her head as she led the way into the villa. They parted and went their separate ways when it came to the dressing rooms. It was a bit weird to think of the new boys in the same dressing room, but that was the game.

At first glance, it seemed that Hope was alone in the dressing room, removing her makeup. Gemma made to open her mouth but closed it abruptly a moment later when Priya stepped out from behind the changing area. There was an uneasy silence as the three girls went through their various nighttime routines. It was clear that there was a lot of tension, and for good reason, but Gemma found herself thinking that they had to live together and this was getting old.

Chelsea came breezing into the room and seemed to bring her usual chatter with her. If there was anyone else in the world that had more energy and more to say than Chelsea, Gemma certainly had not met them yet. Where she had been annoyed at the bubbly blonde upon her initial entrance, she now found that there was something weirdly comforting about the other girl. If nothing else, you could be sure that there would not be silence with Chelsea around.

Having finished getting ready for bed, Gemma headed down to the bedroom and found the other Islanders in various states of readiness for bed. Some, like Ciaran, were already in the beds where others were milling about, chatting with others. Gemma made her way to the bed where Ciaran was, finding that it was the same bed she had shared with Lucas. The dresser at the foot had her name on, but the one next to it now did not bear Lucas’s name. It created a momentary pang as she wondered what Lucas was up to at that moment. In the main villa, there were more than just the 6 beds, so if someone had really not wanted to share with one of the new boys, she would not have to. And there was always sleeping on the daybeds outside. But, the Casa Amor villa would likely only have enough beds for everyone to be “coupled up” and in that moment, Gemma was very conflicted.

She slid into bed and shared an easy smile with Ciaran despite the internal conflict. Well, she had though it had been an easy smile. Maybe Ciaran was more perceptive than she was used to.

“We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for,” he said quietly, whispering it into her ear as his breath ghosted her cheek. “We can just share, I’m not expecting anything.”

“I appreciate that,” Gemma said and genuinely meant it. 

With that short exchange, Gemma felt her whole body relax as she got comfortable. Ciaran did the same and was carefully not touching her at all, which she was thankful for at the moment. Who knew what tomorrow would bring? Gemma knew one thing for certain, though. She was going to sort out her head in the next few days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I borrowed that game from the episode of Love Island US S2 where they do a Vegas themed night ❤️


	30. Raunchy Races and Sneaky Kisses

_ “Ask me no questions, I will tell you no lies _

_ Careful what you wish for. _

_ We’re looking for angels in the darkest of skies _

_ Saying that we wanted more. _

_ I feel like I’m falling, but I’m trying to fly. _

_ Where does all the good go? _

_ We’re looking for answers in the highest of highs _

_ But will we ever, ever know?” _

It was almost unconscious as Gemma was making breakfast and singing softly to herself. Well, she had felt like it was soft, but it was hard to be quiet singing that song. Even with drinking the night before, her voice easily glided over the familiar lyrics. For some reason, she had not found herself singing much, despite her wanting to head in this direction with her life now that she had closed the chapter of her life as a competitive dancer.

Something just had her in the mood to sing this morning, though, and it kept her from noticing that she was no longer alone in the kitchen. She made her way back to the chorus and only looked up when she heard someone tapping along on the counter in perfect time with her. It made her stop abruptly and look up sharply, as if only just realizing she was in a shared kitchen rather than her own place.

“I couldn’t help myself,” Kassam said unashamedly when Gemma met his eyes.

“I didn’t realize anyone was here,” Gemma admitted.

“That’s why I came over, your voice...I don’t know, it drew me in.”

“You heard me sing before.”

“At a music fest, surrounded by a ton of noise, not in the morning after a party when you were actually sober and thought nobody was listening.”

“If I was so bad at that music fest, why’d you want to have me do vocals for you?” Gemma asked the question as a challenge and was surprised to see Kassam smirk before he shrugged.

“Because you’re hot, obviously.”

“Oi!” Gemma was about to throw a spatula at him when he started to chuckle.

“And, for what it’s worth, I never said your singing was bad then. It was amazing, just different than now. This was more...real, I suppose? Honest, maybe? You weren’t trying to impress anyone or singing what you thought they wanted to hear. You were just singing for yourself.”

Gemma pretended to consider him for a moment before relaxing. “I’ll let you slide on that one this time.”

“I meant what I said though,” Kassam continued and Gemma raised an eyebrow. “I’d really like to work with you on a track, or several if I’m honest.”

“Deal.”

Kassam had slid onto a stool on the other side of the counter and Gemma looked at him almost as if she was questioning why he was sat there.

“Lottie is getting ready and you’re the only other person I feel comfortable around,” he said, answering the unasked question.

“Well, you’re free to keep me company as long as you like.”

“Are you going to keep singing?” 

“I might.”

Kassam smiled at that. It seemed like he had been hoping that she would. Then his face changed a bit. “I’ve got a game.”

“I’m not sure I like the sound of that.”

“It’s nothing bad, damn,” Kassam said and held his hands up.

“Luckily for you, these muffins need to go in the oven and I do love a good game,” Gemma responded as she opened the door to the oven.

“So you’re in?” 

“Sure.”

“You haven’t asked what the game is.”

Gemma shrugged. “I trust you not to do something weird.”

Kassam arched an eyebrow as if to say maybe she shouldn’t trust that, but she was undeterred. “Right, so I’ll start tapping a beat out at the counter here and you pick a song, any song that you think fits.”

“That all?” 

“That’s all.”

“Let’s do it then.”

Kassam smiled with genuine happiness and started tapping out a beat on the counter and Gemma closed her eyes, letting her mind fully take in the sound that he was tapping. It was the type of game only musically inclined people would ever really think of. But Gemma knew, there were only so many beats out there when you stripped them down like that. After a moment, she opened her eyes and smiled, beginning to sway her body in time with it.

_ “Come over here and sit next to me. _

_ We can see where things go naturally. _

_ Just say the world and I’ll part the sea. _

_ Just come over here and sit next to me…” _

He smiled again, clearly pleased with the song choice and changed the beat, switching it up because he knew now that she would find some place interesting to take it. It was a bit slower this time and he found himself wondering what she’d sing. Again, she closed her eyes and stopped her swaying.

_ “I don’t blame you. _

_ We got carried away. _

_ I can’t hold on _

_ To an empty space. _

_ Now you’ve found a new star to orbit. _

_ It could be love. _

_ I think you’re too soon to call us old. _

_ When and where did we go cold? _

_ I thought I had you on hold. _

_ And every time I let you leave, _

_ I always saw you coming back to me. _

_ When and where did we go cold? _

_ I thought I had you on hold.” _

At some point in singing the second verse, Gemma’s eyes had closed and she had gotten so lost in the moment that she had not realized that Kassam had stopped drumming out the beat on the counter and that several other Islanders had been drawn over to see what was going on. When she had stopped singing, they clapped for her, seeming to want to encourage her to carry on.

It really was the first time Gemma had really, truly sang in the villa and she was not even sure what had made her do it. All she knew is that it felt good to actually use her voice in that way after so many days. Maybe it was Kassam that was bringing it out of her because she knew that he got it. Sometimes there was just a song or a beat in your head and you needed to get it out. 

———————————————————

Part of any Love Island experience where you were around for the Casa Amor break meant that you were going to have to engage in some version of a competition against the other villa, with the prize being a party to the winning team. The only question was when it happened. As soon as they had gotten the text about the ‘Raunchy Races’ they had all gathered to wait for the next instructions. 

Hope had plopped down next to her friend and thrown her a cheeky smile, seemingly very pleased about something, or perhaps about the game. She did always seem to enjoy a good challenge. Her phone went off a moment later.

“Okay you lot,” Hope started. “We’re going to get some sort of task and we have to try to be the first to complete it. Whichever villa completes it first gets a point. Whoever has the most points at the end gets a party.”

There were a number of cheers at the announcement. It was clear that the boys wanted the party and most of the girls appeared to be in agreement. After all, the other boys were getting the same text and they were likely getting ready to fight for it.

A text chimed out and Lottie whipped out her phone. “First up, the youngest boy has to do 5 push-ups over the girl of his choice and kiss her during each one.”

“That’s you mate!” 

Tai was ushering Ciaran up as he was the youngest of them. He glanced back at Gemma briefly, a little bit like a deer in headlights. Gemma’s competitive side came out and she jumped up, moving to lay down so that he could position himself over her. It was a bit like the upside down angle of the Spider-Man kiss, but thankfully Ciaran did not make it awkward. It was also clear that he worked out enough that he could make quick work of the push-ups.

“Who’s youngest in the other villa?” Lottie wondered.

“Rocco,” Marisol responded, clenching her jaw for a moment before trying to act unbothered.

“We had to have won that challenge, Ciaran was so fast. And it’s not as if Rocco is really the push-up type,” Hope mused.

“Let’s keep it going!” Arjun agreed.

Another text chimed out. “The girl with the shortest name has to plant 20 lipstick kisses on the boy of her choice.”

“That’s me!” 

Hope jumped up and ran off to the villa to grab some lipstick. It seemed she was back faster than you would have thought, stopping in front of Arjun and quickly applying the lipstick. She did not waste any time in starting to plant kisses all over his cheeks and chest as the rest of them counted out. For the final kiss, she planted a quick kiss on his lips.

Next up, the girl with the longest name had to take a shot out of one of the boy’s belly buttons. Marisol cast Graham an apologetic glance before declaring she was going to choose Tai since Graham had more hair on his chest. He did not seem bothered by the development. 

“Next up, three people have to share an underwater kiss!”

Chelsea was off, pulling Nicky behind her, before the text was even finished and the others were instantly laughing at how eager she was.

“Chels, it said  _ three _ people!”

“Someone go save her!”

Arjun pretended to huff in inconvenience before jumping up and running over to jump into pool just behind Chelsea and Nicky. There was some bubbles floating to the top, which looked like Chelsea giggling, and then the boys each kissed Chelsea from either side. It was awkward but it would have counted. In typical fashion, Chelsea was giggling again as she hoisted herself out of the pool.

The challenge continued. As the oldest girl, Priya gave Tai a lap dance. Kassam and Gemma ended up locked in a kiss that left Lottie’s cheeks flushed. That led the way into all the Islanders having to play a game of suck and blow to see which villa could get from one end to the other the fastest. It got to Chelsea and then she dropped it, forcing them to start over.

“Okay you lot, next up, five Islanders have to all spoon on one of the daybeds!” 

Chelsea jumped up and was followed by Hope and Lottie. The guys looked at each other for a second before Arjun hopped up and was followed by Nicky. Unsurprisingly, Chelsea had given herself the position as little spoon with Lottie sliding in behind her. Arjun slid in next, sandwiching Hope between himself and Nicky, who had the honor of being the big spoon. It was the strangest sight they had seen and lasted only for a few seconds before the laughter pushed Chelsea and Nicky off.

“Last challenge! Everyone has to kiss someone of the opposite sex for at least 10 seconds!”

As the group of spooners were walking back, Chelsea squeaked and grabbed Nicky. With a shrug, Lottie just grabbed Arjun, setting off a chain reaction. Hope dashed over and threw her arms around Graham, seeming to catch him off guard in a way he did not seem to mind. Marisol huffed before turning to Tai and earning a shrug from Priya as she looked to Ciaran, who was closer to her than Kassam. Gemma quickly turned to Kassam, thinking that she was saving him from Priya and from any annoyance out of Lottie if Priya had been the one to kiss him. It was just a challenge, after all, Ciaran and Priya could kiss. It didn’t bother her.

Kassam arched an eyebrow at her as she grabbed his face and pulled it down to hers to meet his lips. The kiss was soft, much gentler than Gemma had been expecting. His arms wound around her lower back to pull him against her and she had to fight to keep a sigh from escaping her lips. What on Earth was happening? Enjoying the kiss with Kassam had definitely not been part of the game plan. When they pulled apart, Gemma felt her cheeks must have been flushed, but looked away to see Lottie and Arjun just pulling apart. Good, she hadn’t noticed. Hope, however, was looking right at Gemma with the corners of her mouth turned up.

“Did we win?”

“We had to have, we were so fast!”

“Text!”

“Read it out!”

“Congrats to the main villa, you have won Raunchy Races by a score of 6-3! Get ready to party the night away!”

There were cheers as they all celebrated the victory, momentarily swept up in the challenge. There was a lot to think about though, and Gemma was wondering what the win had really meant. Did the boys try? Were they just not as good at challenges? She was also wondering what message their win would send to the boys. That was a problem for future Gemma to worry about, though, as she joined the others in jumping into the pool.

\--------------------------------------------------------

The girls were all getting ready together in the dressing room, an unexpected ease all around them for the second night in a row. Truthfully there really had been minimal drama between the girls or even with the new guys. They also seemed to all have silently agreed that they would not talk about the decisions some of them were going to have to make sooner rather than later. 

“I’m still a bit jealous,” Priya admitted.

“Of what, babes?” Lottie asked, an ease to the interaction that was borderline shocking.

“Well, the task for the youngest boy was much better than the task for the oldest girl. Where was my upside down kiss?” Priya mused and smirk played at her lips.

“Gemma was quick on the draw on that one,” Marisol observed. 

“You know my girl, she’s always on when there’s a prize on the line,” Hope said fondly.

“There were certainly worse tasks they could have given us,” Gemma said neutrally.

“But, they were giving the boys the same tasks, right?” Chelsea wondered.

“Yeah,” came several of the girls.

“I wonder how keen they were for the kissing,” Chelsea said.

“Hard to say. I’d imagine they were just as keen, but they weren’t the ones who won,” Lottie said.

“To be fair, it could’ve been close,” Hope said.

“Whatever the case, let’s have fun tonight,” Gemma said and the girls all quickly agreed.

Hope and Gemma were finished and it appeared that Hope did not want to waste any time in getting downstairs. There was an unusual energy about her as she hurried to get downstairs before the other girls and Gemma was curious as to why. The reason became obvious the second they got outside and Hope made her way over to not Arjun, but Graham, the captain.  _ Interesting _ , Gemma thought. 

Gemma hung back for a minute as Hope immediately looked around and kissed Graham on the cheek, earning what looked like a genuine smile out of him. They immediately launched into a conversation that they were both very engaged in judging by their body language. Their feet were pointing at each other, bodies fully angled into each other, and Hope leaned in despite the fact that she could probably hear him just fine. It was interesting, for sure. Hope’s eyes nearly sparkled reflecting the lights from around the villa, looking happier than Gemma could remember seeing her, even at the beginning with Noah. Curiosity got the better of her, though, and she headed over to the two of them.

“And, of course, my dad didn’t believe that the storm was going to be as bad as it was, ripped me for not wanting to take my boat out with him, but who was the one laughing when he barely made it home in one piece?” Graham asked Hope as Gemma approached.

She let out an unusually flirtatious laugh as she touched his arm. “Well, I bet he learned his lesson.”

“Course he didn’t,” Graham said with his own booming laugh before noticing Gemma. “Oh, hey Gemma.”

“Not interrupting, am I?” Gemma asked, with an eyebrow raised.

“Not at all babes,” Hope assured her friend.

“Can I get you ladies something to drink?” Graham asked.

“Oh that would be perfect, thanks,” Hope said.

“Sure,” Gemma agreed and Graham walked off after a wink at Hope.

“So, how about that kiss with Kassam?” Hope began.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Gemma said. “What did I just walk into?”

“Graham was just telling me a bit about his family business,” Hope said dismissively. 

“It looked like a bit more than that, what have I missed?” Gemma asked and Hope looked as if she were fighting a blush.

“We got to talking a bit last night and then again this morning and it’s just caught me a bit off guard. He’s told me all about his business and how it would allow him to travel or move, what his plans are for the future. He’s really ambitious and he’s not at all turned off by how assured I am,” Hope gushed and Gemma could not help but smile.

“I never would have thought you’d be interested in Graham,” Gemma admitted. “Going from Noah to him? It’s just...it’s unexpected.”

“Babes, don’t I know it! They’re like polar opposites,” Hope said and was thoughtful for a moment. “That talk I had with Noah just before coming in though, I think it helped me have a clear head in here, you know? I really came in not expecting anything but being open to getting to know everyone and seeing where that gets me.”

“I didn’t think he’d be your type is all,” Gemma said.

“I wouldn’t have thought he would be, but I’m so happy I’ve given him a chance. I’m enjoying getting to know him. Plus, he seems like he’d have a firm hand, you know?” Hope smirked.

“Oh god,” Gemma said and shook her head.

“Wonder if he could make me say that?” Hope asked and Gemma spluttered. 

“You’re awful!” Gemma said.

“Who’s awful?” Graham asked, reappearing holding two drinks.

“I’ll let you find that out for yourself,” Gemma said and with a wink and raised her glass. “Cheers for this.”

She figured it was the best to let them have a moment alone and wandered off towards a different group of Islanders. The other girls had also emerged from the villa now and were spreading out around the lawn. There was undoubtedly going to be drama with Hope and Marisol at some point and Gemma was hoping it could get pushed off as long as possible.

The party was in full swing and there were some really great drinks flowing. As much as Gemma was enjoying it, she also wanted to dance some of the alcohol away to keep herself from getting any past the point of just being buzzed. Sadly, it seemed that she had to hit the dance floor by herself as Hope was nowhere to be found. That was fine, though, she really did not need anyone to enjoy her time dancing.

Chelsea, a perpetual ball of energy, could not seem to decide if she wanted to join in on the dancing, mingle with people, or go to get drinks. The result was her flitting back and forth between all the options. Everything had been pretty relaxed up until that point during the Casa Amor break. There had not been much drama or fighting. It had been more of what Gemma had been hoping for. A moment later, Hope stalked back into view with Marisol hot on her heels and a sheepish Graham trailing a bit further behind.

“You don’t get to just walk away from me!” Marisol shouted at Hope’s back.

“I think I did,” Hope retorted as she neared the drink table.

“You need to explain yourself.”

“I don’t owe  _ you _ anything.”

“You were kissing him!” 

“It’s a free country, last I checked.”

Marisol crossed her arms as Hope finally turned to face her, drink in hand. “You know I’m interested in him. He’s mine.”

“Erm, he’s a person, not a piece of property.”

“Well, stop trying to get a piece of him.”

“We’re meant to be getting to know everyone here, that’s all I was doing.”

Marisol scoffed, an ugly look settling on her face. “Getting to know him with your tongue down his throat?”

Hope rolled her eyes and looked around at the crowd that had gathered. She was about to open her mouth again when Graham stepped in. 

“Ladies,” he said. “Hope is right. We’re supposed to be getting to know everyone. That’s the whole point here.”

“She went behind my back to try and steal you from me,” Marisol pouted and Graham looked uncomfortable. 

“Erm, well I asked her for a chat. I want to get to know her as well,,” Graham said and Marisol looked like she’d been slapped across the face.

“She still didn’t have to stick her tongue down your throat,” Marisol said.

“I started that too,” Graham said and Marisol’s eyes went wide as Hope reached out to touch Graham’s arm.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Hope said quietly.

“I did, there’s no point in hiding it,” Graham said.

“I think we need a chat, Graham,” Marisol said and Graham sighed before nodding and following her off.

“Well, that was a thing,” Arjun said and Gemma was surprised to find he was still smiling brightly. “Fancy a chat, Hope?”

“Someone’s popular tonight,” Gemma observed with a wink, dissipating some of the tension. 

“Lead the way, babes,” Hope said and strung her arm through Arjun’s as they headed off.

Looking around, Gemma realized that she did not see Ciaran and figured that she should go look for him. The party seemed to be dying out anyway, especially after Hope and Graham’s secret kiss, which she would definitely be coming back to later. She could not help but wonder if there was something genuinely forming between those two.

After looking around outside and coming up empty, Gemma headed inside figuring that Ciaran must be somewhere. Sure enough, he was sitting on the couch in the living room. He looked up and smiled softly at her approaching.

“Mind if I sit with you?” Gemma asked, slipping out of her shoes preemptively.

“Never,” Ciaran answered with a smile.

She took off her shoes and settled onto the couch next to Ciaran, her legs tucked up underneath her as she sat. They were close enough that they were almost touching, but not quite.

“Bit busy out there,” Ciaran commented, “especially with the Hope, Graham, Marisol triangle that’s happening.”

“Yeah, wasn’t expecting that.”

“Apparently you girls all have some captain fantasy that we weren’t aware of.”

Gemma grabbed the nearby pillow and almost had to hide her face into it to stop from snorting at the comment. “Yeah, I don’t have that fantasy.”

“No? Is it more of a DJ fantasy for you?”

That stopped Gemma laughing in her tracks as she regarded Ciaran, trying to determine if he was seriously asking if she was interested in Kassam in that way. Surely, if he were curious, there were better ways to ask. “What are you on about?”

“I don’t know,” Ciaran said with a shrug. “You kissed him during that challenge when I was right there too.”

“I wasn’t thinking much about it, to be honest. It was just a challenge, which I wanted to win, and he was closest.”

That wasn’t entirely true and Gemma knew it, but kept her face neutral. The truth was, she cared about Kassam as a friend and she was fairly certain that Lottie would be bringing him back. It just seemed easier to have Priya kiss Ciaran than Kassam.

“I know, part of me just wished you had kissed me instead, I guess.”

Gemma had no idea why she did it. Her brain was honestly such a mess. But, she leaned over into Ciaran, her lips almost meeting his, as her hand slid up his arm towards his neck. Just as she was wondering if this was a good idea, he pressed his lips against hers and wound one of his hands into her hair to hold her in place. Their lips moved against each other with ease as the kiss went from soft and sweet to something much deeper. It felt like time was stopping and the kiss was much smoother than it had been in the challenge on the first night. 

Ciaran was soft but demanding at the same time. There was a quiet passion about him that Gemma had seen glimpses of, but had not seen in earnest until that moment. She pulled back, feeling the need to catch her breath.

“Wow,” Ciaran said quietly and Gemma smiled.

“I think that’s better than a challenge kiss anyway, isn’t it?” 

“Definitely.”

Their conversation was stopped from going any further as Hope and Arjun wandered in from the outside. Both girls were giving each other a look that clearly they needed to talk about whatever had been happening. Hope grabbed Gemma, declaring it was time to get ready for bed, and pulled her off to the dressing room. Unfortunately, Marisol was already there and any conversation was essentially halted.

Maybe that was for the best, Gemma was well and truly confused at that moment. She was not sure talking to Hope would have helped because she was not sure herself what she wanted to do next. Kissing Ciaran like that, outside of a challenge, had been a complete whim. Part of it had been curiosity and part of it had just been something that felt right in the moment. Now, though, she was unsure if it had been the right decision. Had she just given the cameras ammunition to include in a video sent to the boys in Casa Amor? Would that end up coming back to bite her if she did want to stick with Lucas?

As she walked down to the bedroom, she wrote those thoughts all off as something that future Gemma could worry about. She was surprised to see that Arjun and Hope were sitting in bed together, giggling away. Something about it looked more like friendship, though. Gemma winked on her way past and slid into her own bed. Tomorrow was another day and hopefully it would bring some answers.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The songs (in order) are:
> 
> Miracle - CHVRCHES  
> Sit Next to Me - Foster the People  
> On Hold - The xx 
> 
> I hope you're liking it! Your comments and kudos mean the world to me ❤️


	31. A Video Is Worth More Than 1000 Words

It was impossible to ever tell the time in the villa other than by gauging the sun. If she had to guess, Gemma imagined it was probably around 7 in the morning. She clutched her coffee tighter in her hands as she gazed out over the landscape beyond the villa. It was way too early to be awake and she was sure she would regret it later, but she had not been able to fall back to sleep. 

There was a lot to think about. The past two days had been a lot of fun and it had been easy. But, she wondered if it had only been easy because it was the first time she really allowed herself to catch her breath. She had jumped in with Bobby with both feet and thinking back, she actually did not have any regrets about it. Then, even if it had seemed slow for two people with very recent history, she felt like she had jumped straight into things with Lucas. All they had to do in the villa was talk about their feelings and where their heads were at. Yet, with the business with Priya and Hope having her own stuff, Gemma had not felt like she really had someone to help her process. She should have known that the timing was ripe for the Casa Amor twist. 

Now, having gotten to know Ciaran and the other guys, she was not entirely sure what she wanted to do next. Sure, some of the guys genuinely just seemed like they were here to have someone keep them at the end of Casa Amor. Some, though, actually seemed like they were here looking for a connection. Watching Kassam and Lottie, it was clear that he was interested in her, despite her sometimes being difficult. He seemed to take it all in stride, which Gemma appreciated because she had also felt like he had been a good friend to her.

Gemma was completely lost in thought, not even really seeing what was in front of her anymore. She did not even notice when the door to the terrace opened and closed quietly behind her. It took someone coming to stand next to her before her thoughts were broken.

“Damn Kas,” Gemma said, hand flying to her heart.

“Someone’s jumpy,” he observed, turning away from the landscape to sit on the bench.

“I just didn’t hear you,” Gemma said and moved to sit next to him.

“I figured,” he said. “What’s got you up so early?”

Gemma shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep. I suppose I have a lot on my mind.”

“Well, you know I’m always here to listen.”

They were both quiet for a moment as Gemma stared down into her cup, chewing on her bottom lip as she wondered what to say. Kassam began tapping out a rhythm on his leg with his fingers, something that Gemma was already used to him doing. It was weirdly comforting. For a moment, she found herself thinking of what words would go with the beat.

“What do you think of Lucas?” The question was sudden and unexpected, causing Kassam to look at her in confusion. She was not sure what he saw on her face, but his expression softened instantly.

“I know I referred to him as a posh boy the first day in here, but I mostly meant that as a joke.” Kassam was buying time to figure out how to answer, but Gemma did not mind.

Gemma smiled softly. “I know.”

“I think it’s a bit difficult to tell just by seeing someone on the telly. At first, I didn’t much like Lucas, it seemed like he was just on the show to get you back because of his own pride, or something.”

“And now?”

“I do think he genuinely cares about you. He was really upset when you and him overheard Bobby and Priya and just in general with the way Bobby handled everything. Far more upset than I think anyone expected him to be, probably even including himself.”

Gemma nodded. “He really was supportive with all that.”

“I’m not sure, it does seem like he might be interested in seeing what things looked like outside of the villa with you.” 

Kassam was giving Gemma answers but part of her had a nagging feeling. There was something different in his eyes as she studied him, like there was something he was holding back. It seemed unlike what she had come to expect from him in this short time already. As she was trying to work out if she should ask or not, he sighed. 

“Gemma, whatever you’re trying to work out, just ask me.”

“Why do I feel like there’s something you’re not saying?”

By the look in his eyes, she knew she had been right. He looked away, as if considering how he wanted to say the next sentence, before his eyes settled on her again. “I think being in a place like this, everything can seem good and easy and fun. I suppose I just wonder if you and him will want the same things when you’re out of here.”

“Because he’s posh?” Gemma knew she was deflecting to avoid it being serious so early in the morning, as if she had not been thinking the same things.

“You know that’s not it, Geej. Everything about you would fit so easily into that world, fancy dinners, galas, going to the ballet, which I’m sure would be a favorite of yours. I just wonder if it’s really what you want.”

Gemma chewed her lip again in thought. If she did not stop doing it, no amount of chapstick in the world was going to fix her lips. That would definitely be a problem. 

“I think I’ve always given my whole self to the person I’ve been dating,” Gemma admitted quietly. “I don’t know if I know what I really want.”

“I think that’s the great thing about all this, it’s kind of dating on overdrive. You can figure out what you like, what you don’t, what you want for the future…” Kassam trailed off at that.

What did she want for the future? More importantly, what did Lucas want for the future? Suddenly, she wasn’t feeling entirely sure that those two things were going to match up. And that was terrifying. But, she did realize that she had to have that conversation when she got back. At the moment, she did see herself sticking with him when she had to make the choice, which she figured must be soon.

“Thanks, by the way.”

Kassam arched an eyebrow at his new friend. “What for?”

“Always being so willing to have a chat about something serious with me.”

“I reckon that means I’ve taken over for Noah, then.”

Now it was Gemma’s turn to look at him in surprise. The confusion was plain on her face, but she voiced it anyway. “What’re you on about?”

“Oh, just your friendship with him.”

Dread instantly filled her. Just what had the public seen of her chats with Noah? Had they seen the time she poured her heart out to him about her past relationships and her breakup with Callum? She could feel her brain going into overdrive and felt her cheeks start to flush when Kassam reached out to her.

“They haven’t shown anything that personal, but I did get the feeling that you’d had a really deep chat with him one morning. I just meant in general, it’s clear you’re closer to him than any of the other guys.”

“So you don’t, like, know everything that happened with my ex, do you?” 

Kassam studied her for a moment and shook his head. “No, they’ve never really shown you saying anything about him.”

Gemma let out a breath, trusting that Kassam was being honest with her. “I didn’t think they’d show that whole chat, it must’ve been boring. But, erm, I basically poured my heart out to Noah one day.”

“After you confronted Bobby about fucking Priya?” 

“Yeah, then.”

“That they showed.”

Gemma rolled her eyes with a huff. “Of course they did. Well I left the chat with Bobby and ran into Noah and, like, poured my entire fucking heart out, dumped my entire life story on the poor guy.”

“That’s what friends are for, Gigi,” Kassam said easily.

“I seem to have the friends thing down on this show, if only I could get a handle on the love thing.”

“You will.”

He said it with such an air of confidence that part of her really wanted to believe he was right. Part of her wanted to believe that there really was not anything wrong with her. She was going to find the right connection here and everything was going to be okay. Part of her also knew, though, that if she left single, she would not regret the time. She had made amazing connections, met incredible people, and learned a lot about herself. 

“Can I offer a piece of advice?” Kassam asked.

“Always babes, you know that.”

“Don’t overthink everything with your connections. I think you just need to be open to whatever happens, even if it wasn’t something you originally considered.”

Gemma gave him a confused look but he clearly was not intending to say anything else. What did that even mean? Was she supposed to consider him? No, that was crazy. Surely, he would have said something to her if he felt that way. She also could not help feeling like someone else had said something like that to her in here. It was hard to remember though and she could not quite place it.

\-------------------------------------------------------

Priya had gotten a text, but instead of the usual message along with it, it was just a video. The girls all gathered around Priya, who had sat down so people could easily see the phone, and she pressed play.

The video began with a girl leaning over suggestively towards Henrik, asking about massages and private climbing lessons. Henrik, not sensing what was happening, answered seriously rather than flirtatiously. Rocco then came over and offered to help the plain looking girl with her form in yoga, which she immediately agreed to, taking his outstretched hand.

It then cut to Jakub kissing a blonde girl in what looked like a challenge, but going far more full on than you might expect. It cut again to him kissing the same girl at night time, without it seeming as if anyone else was around and Priya’s shoulders slumped. That definitely did not look like a challenge. 

Next up was Gary, who was sitting on the daybeds with a curvy redhead, who seemed to really be giving him a run for his money. Some of his normal confidence seemed to falter as she challenged something he had said. Her eyes sparkled in a way that instantly made her seem like she was more than a match for him.

Gary and Henrik were now racing around the lawn, each with a girl on their backs, while the others watched on and laughed. Lucas whispered something into the ear of one of the girls, who nodded and they headed off, seemingly unnoticed by anyone until Gemma noticed that Noah’s gaze followed Lucas’ retreating figure.

Shifting again, Lucas was now kissing the same girl he had walked off with in the previous scene, but it was hard to tell this time if it was during some sort of challenge or not. Gemma’s heart constricted for a second at the image. 

Rocco was now talking to Henrik and Gary about how he had never expected to meet someone like “her” in a place like this and how fortunate he had been to find someone who connected with his aura in such a way. Henrik, for his part, was clearly trying not to laugh and Gary just pulled a face before starting to talk about taking another girl home to meet his Nan. Lucas wandered into the shot and Henrik asked what Lucas was thinking. Instead of answering, Lucas just thinned his lips with a pointed look at Rocco. 

The final bit of the video had all six boys and the six Casa Amor girls sitting around together. Gemma’s eyes immediately found Lucas, who was leaned back and had that same girl sitting far too close to him. She whispered something else in his ear and he smirked over at her. Tearing her eyes away, Gemma watched as Rocco kissed the same plain girl from the beginning of the video. Jakub was again with the same blonde from throughout, her face hard to see as she was leaned into him.

The video went black and the girls all stared at it for a moment, unsure what there was to say in that moment. It was Marisol who broke the silence with a huff.

“I don’t know why I expected him to do anything different, not after he picked Chelsea last recoupling,” Marisol said with another huff.

“You also don’t know if he’s seen anything yet. You’ve been throwing yourself at whoever will pay you any attention,” Hope shot back and Marisol’s eyes narrowed.

“Like you haven’t been trying to steal someone’s attention away from me,” Marisol said in a low voice.

“We literally just had this fight last night, hun, give it a rest will you?” Hope responded.

“Why should I?” Marisol asked.

“Because I didn’t steal anyone. I did kiss Graham, I’ve got nothing to hide,” Hope said, unfazed. “I’m also not the one who came in here dead set on one of the boys in Casa that’s not even my partner.”

“And what exactly is going on with Noah?” Marisol asked. This question had several of the girls curious.

“None of your business,” Hope responded without missing a beat. “You’ve never cared before.”

“I think there are some other people we should be a little more concerned about rather than squabbling over Rocco who, frankly, did exactly what anyone should’ve expected,” Gemma said, her face neutral as she looked at Marisol.

“Exactly what anyone should’ve expected?” Marisol challenge, an eyebrow raised. 

“You’re kidding, right?” Gemma asked and Marisol only glared. “He went behind Lottie’s back and was snogging you all over the villa, which, by the way, came after he’d tried it on with every girl. And then, he picked Chels without so much as a word to you. Now there’s new girls and his head’s been turned again.”

“That doesn’t mean I can’t be upset,” Marisol said, crossing her arms.

“Frankly, Marisol, I don’t give a damn if you’re upset. It’s your own fault you’ve got horrendous taste,” Gemma said evenly.

“Henrik was pretty cute, wasn’t he?” Chelsea asked, preventing Marisol from responding.

“Aren’t you worried about Rocco?” Marisol asked and Chelsea shrugged. 

“Not really,” Chelsea said.

“How are you feeling about Gary?” Hope asked Lottie who let out a sigh.

“I don’t think we were right, honestly, so if he fancies her, good for him. I just feel bad about how my decisions will impact Chelsea,” Lottie said and cast a guilty glance at Chelsea who just smiled brightly.

“What’s meant to be will be babes,” Chelsea said before frowning. “How are you, Priya?”

“About as good as you’d expect,” was all she said before she rose and hurried away from the group.

Gemma found herself following the older girl with her eyes. Truthfully, she really didn’t like Priya. Her attitude had rubbed Gemma the wrong way and they had never been close even before everything happened with Bobby. Now, though, it was clear that Priya was upset. She had expected, for whatever reason, that Jakub would stay loyal to her.

That brought up more thoughts for Gemma. How was she feeling? Lucas had been with the same girl throughout the video. What had they been whispering about? Had that kiss been during a challenge? She knew that she really did not have grounds to be upset. She had kissed Ciaran outside of a challenge just the night before. And she had kissed several people during the challenges. 

“Someone should check on Priya,” Hope said, casting a glance around the group. 

Gemma rose heavily and suddenly found four pairs of eyes on her, all looking shocked that she was standing. Honestly, Gemma was surprised as well. But, truthfully, someone had to do it and none of them were especially close with Priya. Given how upset she seemed, it didn’t seem fair for her to have to deal with Marisol turning it all around to herself.

“Are you...sure you should go?” Lottie asked.

“Her and I have been through a lot, but I think I’ve been starting to understand her a bit more. Plus, I can understand what she’s probably feeling,” Gemma said.

“If you’re sure,” Hope said, reaching out to squeeze Gemma’s hand.

With another quick nod, Gemma headed off in the direction that Priya had gone in. As she walked, she was also trying to think of what she was going to say. Suddenly, she was really questioning if this had been a good idea. Her and Priya had had a tumultuous ride so far. Did that make Gemma the best option to talk to her? Maybe, actually.

Gemma wound her way up to the roof terrace, figuring that was a likely place to start. She was still half considering what to say when she opened the door and found Priya straddled over Tai’s lap, kissing him passionately. It was the very last thing she had expected to see with how Priya had reacted. She was frozen in place for a moment, unsure if she should interrupt or just quietly back away. Just as she turned to hurry back into the villa, Tai broke the kiss, seeming to have heard her hand on the door. Priya whipped her head around and where Gemma had expected Priya to look mad, she looked...embarrassed? 

The moment was awkward and nobody seemed to know what to do. Why couldn’t Gemma just get her legs to move and carry her away? Something in Priya deflated as she slid off of Tai’s lap, much to his confusion. 

“I think you’d better go,” Priya said quietly.

“Oh, yeah, right,” Gemma mumbled, turning around quickly.

“No, I meant Tai. I think it’s probably about time we talked,” Priya said, looking up to meet Gemma’s eyes as the younger girl turned on the spot.

Gemma did not even notice the confused look that Tai shot in Priya’s direction as he slowly stood up. It had not escaped his gaze that the two women had barely spoken unless it was unavoidable. He also knew the reason for the tension, as did everyone who had seen the show. It seemed that Gemma was rooted to the spot as Tai tried to slide around her to the door. Gemma’s eyes were trained on Priya, trying to read Priya’s mood. It was impossible though. And with a sigh, Gemma moved to sit next to Priya.

“So, I guess we talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't mean to split this day into two parts but it felt too long to keep it as one chapter so here goes, hope you enjoyed it!


	32. Everybody Talks

This had been the last thing Gemma had been expecting when she said she would go check on Priya. She was just expecting to ask the older girl if she was okay and then move on. Finding her straddling Tai had not been in the plans. Talking had been an even smaller consideration. But, she should have known. This was inevitable, after all. They all shared a space and could not carry on avoiding each other forever.

“So…” Gemma began and nervously made eye contact with Priya. “You said we should talk.”

“I kind of imagined I wouldn’t be the only one with something to say,” Priya said after a moment, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

“I didn’t really come here to chat about...well, I just wanted to see if you were okay after the video.” 

“Why?” Priya’s gaze was narrowed as she looked at the younger girl.

“Because, Priya, even though we don’t get on that well, I still don’t like to see anyone running off like you did. And I do get it, given what I saw as well.”

“Are you expecting me to apologize that we don’t get on well?” 

Gemma sighed. There was something almost...stubborn about the way that Priya was approaching the situation and Gemma should have known not to expect anything else. Why had she even thought coming up here was a good idea? They had barely spoken since everything had happened with Bobby, only doing so in clipped sentences when it was unavoidable. There was a lot that had not been said between the two. The last few days had been so easy going that Gemma had somehow forgotten that they were far from ever being friends. It appeared Priya had not forgotten that fact.

“This isn’t about us not getting on.” Gemma pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to find the words. “But if you want to get something off your chest, by all means.”

Priya regarded Gemma for a second as if she were deciding if any of this were worth her time. It did not appear to be a clear decision. There had been a moment of something, maybe embarrassment, on Priya’s face when Gemma had walked out onto the terrace. That was gone now, though. All that showed was a confidence that she was above all of this.

“I should think there’s things we’d  _ both _ like to get off our chests.”

“Are you mad at me that I walked in on you just now?”

The question was so far off base that Priya had to fight a snort from coming out in response. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, only further confusing Gemma.

“I’m not that bothered, maybe you’d like some tips on how it’s done,” Priya said.

Had Gemma been drinking anything, she would have spit it out right then and there instead of spluttering. “I think I’m okay, thanks.”

“You were the one that came to check on me, what did you think was going to happen?” 

Gemma chewed at the inside of her lip. What had she thought was going to happen when she came to check on Priya? Did she think they were magically going to make up? No, that wasn’t it. All she had thought about was feeling the same kind of hurt as Priya was and feelinging like someone should see if she was okay. 

“You ran off after the video and you looked upset, I can only assume it’s because of what we saw in that video with Jakub. I guess I thought we were in the same boat, a bit, since I wasn’t all that happy with what I saw out of Lucas.”

“You’ve got nerve, you know, putting it on the same level.”

“How do you mean?” Gemma was genuinely confused by this statement. 

“Sure, Lucas kissed some girl, the same girl, during the video and yeah, maybe it wasn’t all challenges. But, he’s not the only one, is he? I know you’ve kissed Ciaran outside of challenges too and lord only knows what’s going on with you and Kassam…”

“I...wait a minute, Kassam and I are just friends. And Ciaran…”

Priya threw up her hand to stop Gemma from speaking. “What happens between you and Ciaran is none of my business. I couldn’t possibly care any less. But, it’s not the same. I’ve not kissed Tai outside of challenges. I haven’t been sneaking private moments with him.”

“But I just saw…”

“Not that it’s  _ any  _ of your business, but that hadn’t happened before. And I don’t have to justify myself to you now. So don’t go around acting like you’re all perfect and you get to be mad at Lucas if he’s kissed someone outside a challenge when you’ve done the same.”

“Priya, that’s not what I was trying…”

“No, you were trying to keep that shiny halo of yours in place, and I get it. It really does suit you.” Priya paused and Gemma was trying to work out if that had been a compliment or not. She supposed it could have been? It was impossible to tell. “But, you know, in terms of trying to pretend you care about if I’m doing okay, I’d rather you didn’t.”

“Priya,” Gemma began, taking a breath to try and steady herself. She was annoyed at the way it had all gone and the stubborn part of her wanted to just flip her lid. “I wasn’t pretending to care. Things may be tense with you and I, but I don’t want to see anyone hurting.”

“Isn’t that funny?”

Priya’s look remained haughty, as if she was above the whole situation. Gemma looked down into her lap, trying to take a few steadying breaths to keep from saying something she didn’t mean. It was a challenge though, and a challenge she was not sure she would overcome.

“You know what?” Gemma lost the battle. “Maybe I haven’t been the nicest to you in here, maybe I haven’t been the most welcoming, but for you to sit here and act like we’re on the same level is a complete joke.”

“You act like I’m  _ such  _ a baddie for kissing Bobby…”

Gemma cut sharply across Priya’s words. “Priya, really? We’ve literally already established that I  _ know _ it was a lot more than just that kiss. And I wasn’t even mad about the kiss itself, I was really hurt by finding out in a fucking challenge when he’d had so many chances to tell me. And I was mad that he literally fucked me while you were off trying to turn Noah’s head, knowing full well he’d kissed you in secret at that point. Knowing full well I’d be hurt at him trying to break up two of my closest friends in here. He could have told me then! We were alone!” 

The words were coming tumbling out and Gemma did not know how to stop them. She wanted to stop them, she did. There was just no way of putting a halt to it now that the flood gates had opened. Angry, frustrated tears started to pool. 

“And if I do ever see him again, there’s still plenty I’d like to say to him about how he handled all of it. About why it hurt me so much. Because the reality is that you also have  _ no _ idea what I’ve been through prior to this show, just like I have no idea what your past holds. People make mistakes, myself certainly included, and I tend to be very forgiving. But, I’m not going to just get over something when you act like we’re on the same level and you can’t just own your shit.”

“Wow, I feel so comforted and cared for after the video.” Priya’s voice was dripping with sarcasm. 

“Oh fuck off.” 

“Guess I finally figured out what it took to get under your skin.” Priya’s look of being superior was so infuriating that Gemma had to fight the urge to smack it off her face.

“You know what? Do whatever you please to get comfort from someone else, I’m not bothering with this.”

Gemma rose and marched off into the villa heavily, almost feeling like a child stomping around, but not much caring how she looked. The whole conversation had been pointless and rather frustrating. Even as she huffed off, though, Gemma was blaming herself for it not having gone better. Had she really tried? Made an effort? She shook the thoughts out of her head and went to find Hope.

Hope had been entirely unsurprised that the chat had not gone well. In her opinion, things with Priya were better left alone. Though Hope knew her friend just wanted to fix things, there wasn’t always a solution. Sometimes, things could just not be fixed and you were not going to get along with everyone. It was a lesson that Hope had learned the hard way and one that Gemma had also learned, but had not really accepted. 

\------------------------------------------------------

The mood had been subdued all afternoon, the reality setting in that the boys were off in another villa with new girls was impossible to ignore with video evidence. Priya had barely been seen since the video and the others assumed she was off somewhere with Tai. Gemma had not said anything to the group at large about her chat with Priya and intended to leave it that way. As much as Priya did deserve blame, Gemma was also feeling a bit guilty about not trying harder. That was so typical of her, though. She shouldered the blame instead of acknowledging that Priya did not want to have the chat.

“So, Chels, we haven’t really had a chance to hear what you wanted,” Lottie said. She, Hope, Chelsea, and Gemma were getting some sun on the loungers. It was Chelsea’s favorite spot.

“Oh, well, you know, I’m not really sure,” Chelsea began and Gemma glanced over at the bubbly girl. “I guess it’s like Gemma said, I wasn’t expecting Rocco to somehow stay loyal to me. I wasn’t even expecting him to pick me! I’d given him no signs or anything like that. I feel like we’d barely spoken. I was so caught off guard!”

It was always interesting how many words Chelsea would manage to get out so quickly. Honestly, Gemma felt like she was in her own episode of Gilmore Girls whenever Chelsea spoke, which made Gemma smile. It was one of her favorite shows, after all. 

“Who is it you really had your eye on?” Hope asked, propping herself up on an elbow. 

“Oh, I’m not sure, I wasn’t really planning on it going any particular way. I’ve just been so excited to get into the villa and meet everyone,” Chelsea said.

“It’s okay to say Henrik, you know,” Lottie mused with a slight upturn of the corners of her lips. 

“Well, yeah, I was hoping he’d pick me.” Chelsea looked a bit sheepish for a moment before more words came tumbling out. “I really felt like I got on the best with him when we had that date. He just kind of seemed to understand me and he didn’t mind my energy. I don’t know, I probably sound like I’m just rambling. But then he picked Lottie, and she looked pleased…”

“Easy, babes, slow down,” Gemma said gently.

“I was just happy that someone wanted to pick me and that I wasn’t last, even though last was my current partner. I kind of knew that Gary’s head had been turned a bit, so I wasn’t set on him. I’m not mad at you for wanting Henrik,” Lottie said and Chelsea sighed.

“Thank you, it was harder than I thought coming in here with everyone coupled up and friendships already formed,” Chelsea said and a frown appeared momentarily as she looked up at Gemma. “I know we already cleared it up, but I’m  _ so _ sorry about what I said when I first came in about that whole thing with Hope and Noah.”

Gemma waved her hand dismissively. “It’s fine, we already cleared all that up. Hope and I are fine.”

“As if anyone could keep us apart for long,” Hope said fondly.

“And I should have told her, that whole bit there was just...a lot, for all of us,” Gemma said.

“I think it’s harder to understand that from the outside just watching bits, you know? Because obviously I watched every episode before I got in but now that I’m in, it’s like, way different than I was expecting. It’s a lot easier to see how things can just end up being much bigger and how everything feels magnified,” Chelsea gushed.

“I know what you mean,” Hope agreed. “I don’t think you could ever understand what it really feels like to be here without actually being here.”

“How are you feeling, Hope?” Lottie asked. 

“It’s been a bit of a roller coaster, hasn’t it?” Hope asked. “Noah is one of the most incredible people I’ve ever met. He’s just wonderful, but is he wonderful for me? I’m not sure.”

“You couldn’t get two more different people than Noah and Graham,” Gemma smirked. 

“Don’t I know it, babes?” Hope asked and gave an uncharacteristic giggle. 

“I, for one, am fascinated to see how this is going to turn out,” Lottie mused.

“What are you thinking, Chels?” Gemma asked.

“I imagine it’s been a bit easier for you? You haven’t had a chance to get to know the other boys before meeting these new ones,” Hope said, thinking out loud.

“I think that’s made it harder, honestly. Like, I really felt an instant connection to Henrik. He was just able to help me, I don’t know, calm a bit. And that’s hard for me. It’s hard for me to, like, find that in a guy where he doesn’t seem to mind my energy. But, I don’t know, I also barely know him and it makes me wonder, is this the right thing to be doing?” Chelsea seemed to say all that in one breath before taking a deep breath and beginning again. “Then there’s these new guys. I’ve loved getting to know Nicky, he’s fun and sweet, I’m not really sure he’s my type, but he’s sweet all the same. I’ve also enjoyed getting to know Tai a bit better, he seems much more my type, but you know, he’s got Priya keeping him occupied.”

“Yeah, it can be hard to feel like you’re going against one of the other girls to get to know a new boy,” Hope agreed.

“What about Arjun? Have any of us gotten to know him?” Lottie asked and there was a muttering of no.

“He’s so funny and cheeky but it’s just not what I’m looking for. He doesn’t seem to have that, I don’t know, drive? We just don’t seem to work on the level that I would need us to work on,” Hope agreed.

“I get what you mean, it’s a shame though, he’s fun,” Gemma agreed.

“That’s going to be the worst bit, isn’t it?” Lottie asked and was met with confused looks. “We’re getting to know these new boys and they’re all really great, but we’ve got our boys over at Casa Amor and we have to consider them too.”

“I think I’m the first one to say I’ve made some really great friendships in here, I’m so thankful for that. Maybe I’m guilty of forgetting what we’re here for too, though. We’re here to find love, ultimately, so you have to do what’s best for you in the end,” Gemma said.

“I don’t know, doesn’t that seem a bit...selfish?” Lottie worried, her brow furrowing.

“I don’t think so. None of us is guaranteed to stay here so really, we’ve got to make the most of the time we have and try to find the connection. I’d love to keep everyone, but I’m also here to find something real, so that’s got to come first,” Gemma said and Lottie sighed.

“You’re right, I know you’re right,” Lottie agreed.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

It seemed that the producers were less than impressed by the lack of energy or anything else happening during the afternoon. That was the only reason any of them could think of to have pulled out a giant Jenga set with questions and dares written on them. The rules were like regular Jenga in that one at a time, an Islander would pull out a block while trying not to knock the structure over. The difference was that before placing the block on top, the Islander had to read out whatever was on the block. Questions had to be answered and dares had to be completed. 

Hope, seeming to be one of the few that was genuinely in a good mood, took charge and went first. It was a different Hope though, taking charge because she was in a good mood and looking to have some fun with a game, rather than feeling a need to be calling the shots. 

The game turned out to be just what the group needed to get energized again. They learned that Graham had somehow never had sex on a boat and that Tai thought Gemma was the most attractive Islander just based on looks. Lottie shared more about growing up in Australia, Chelsea gave an awkward lap dance to Nicky, and Marisol kissed Priya when her block told her she had to kiss one of the girls. 

On Gemma’s turn, she took her time to figure out where the best block was to take so that she would not topple the whole structure over. Carefully, she slid a block out and turned it over to read what she had to do. “Kiss the member of the opposite sex that you feel you’ve gotten to know the best.”

Gemma frowned for a second as if she were deciding what to do. Truthfully, she had not gotten to know Ciaran the best of the boys there. When she looked up, his eyes were soft and he nodded almost imperceptibly. So, she walked over to Kassam and planted a kiss on his lips, keeping it short but sweet. The look on his face was a bit unreadable as she pulled away and moved to put the block on top of the pile. She waited a moment and was thankful that it did not crash.

They were laughing at the ridiculous nature of the game. Each person that went took longer and longer to pick a block, then longer still placing it on top of the structure. It was becoming steadily more unstable. Everything from earlier in the day had been pushed to the back of everyone’s mind. It was not forgotten, but they were at least able to enjoy it. 

Finally, on Marisol’s turn, she went to remove a block, only to have the whole unstable structure go crashing down around her. She shrieked and jumped out of the way, worried the blocks were going to hit her. Despite her reaction, she began to laugh and the others quickly joined in. 

People started to break off in groups and Ciaran asked Gemma if he could borrow her for a chat. Somehow it had still managed to catch her a bit off guard, despite everything else that had happened. Still, she followed him over to one of the daybeds so they could chat. 

“I just wanted to check and see how you were doing, with the video and all, we haven’t really had a chance to talk about it,” Ciaran said and it was not quite what Gemma had been expecting. 

“Oh!” Gemma said.

“I’m sorry, should I not have asked?”

“No, no, I don’t mind you asking, I was just surprised.”

“So, how are you feeling?” 

Gemma regarding him for a moment, pulling her lower lip between her teeth, unsure how to respond to the question. “I’m not sure, to be honest.”

“Want to talk about it?” Ciaran’s look was so kind and sincere that Gemma was not sure how to respond. He seemed to sense it. “It’s okay, whatever you’re feeling, I’d like to know. You can talk to me.”

“I guess I’m kind of conflicted. I definitely wasn’t feeling the most stable in my relationship with Lucas when the boys left for Casa Amor. It just...I don’t know. There was something that wasn’t quite...perfect.”

“I kind of got that feeling.”

“Then I saw the video and...I don’t know, it just kind of stung, I suppose? Which I have no right to be at all hurt about him kissing someone else when I’ve been kissing you.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t be upset, Gemma.” 

Gemma sighed as she saw that Ciaran was just trying to be supportive of her and what she wanted. What did she want? What was she feeling? It was so common for her to just push her thoughts off to the side and not even address them. It was also unhealthy and she knew it. 

“Seeing the way they showed Lucas in that video did hurt, yeah, and it’s caught me a bit off guard, because I didn’t expect to care what he had been doing. I guess I haven’t really been thinking all that much about what happens when Casa Amor ends and the boys come back here. But, the reality is, that’s coming.”

“I think it’s easy to forget anything else exists outside of this villa. There’s no phones or computers or anything. I’ve only been here a few days and I’m already used to following directions of what to do in a day.”

“It’s been fun, the last few days and just feeling like we’re kind of in our own little world.” Gemma sighed sadly at Ciaran.

“I sense a but coming.”

“But, eventually this is going to end and I’m going to have to make a decision.”

“Well, that’s not a surprise is it?” 

“No, but…” Gemma began speaking but Ciaran grabbed her hands in his own and smiled at her.

“Gemma, wait. Before you say anything else, let me just say this. I don’t want your answer right now, it’s been an emotional day. I think you should sleep on it. But while you’re sleeping on it, I want to say this. I’ve enjoyed the hell out of getting to know you better these last few days. You’re even more incredible than I thought you’d be from seeing the show. I came in planning to get to know everyone and from the moment you asked me to share a bed, I was done for. I didn’t want to get to know anyone else. I don’t regret not getting to know anyone else. I would love for you to take me back and I hope you’ll consider it. That being said, I’ll also get it if you don’t and I’ll go home knowing I gave it my best, focusing only on you.”

Gemma was completely unsure of how to respond to that. It was so kind and caring. Ciaran actually seemed genuine when he said it. To buy herself a little time, Gemma leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to the corner of Ciarnan’s mouth. When she pulled back, she smiled at him. “Thank you.”

Leaving the conversation, Gemma at least appreciated how kind and supportive Ciaran had been. Even if she had expected him to behave a certain way, she knew that she could not expect that. She knew he was being kinder than she may have deserved. But, it was getting late and she figured that was a problem that tomorrow Gemma could worry about. Today Gemma had been through enough.

Thinking of tomorrow, though, had Gemma wondering just what was in store for the next day. It had been their third day of the break. They had gotten a video message, had a host of challenges, and had their separate fun. Gemma could not help but wonder if tomorrow would bring the message that it was time for decisions and for the boys to return to the villa. All that led to one glaring question. What did Gemma want to do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for splitting things up here, it just felt too long all as one. I hope you've enjoyed the ride so far!


	33. The Party's Over

Gemma woke before the lights came on, not feeling very rested, which was at odds to the other nights with he boys gone. All she had been able to think about was the looming decision and everything that Ciaran had said. It had been a lot to think about. Ciaran was sweet and kind and considerate. Was that a reason to switch, though? Could Gemma go through with keeping him in the villa? Just the thought made her uneasy. 

A thought popped into her head and Gemma felt her stomach drop. She imagined sitting at the fire pit with Ciaran next to her and seeing Lucas walk out alone. His face was clear as day in her mind. And he was upset, hurt even. Gemma knew that Lucas also had issues with trusting people. It was then that she realized her decision was complicated. She didn’t want to hurt Lucas. 

The lights came on and the rest of the girls had woken up to a text that it was the last day of Casa Amor and the boys would be returning that night. The mood varied based on who you looked at, but there was definite excitement in some cases. To kick off the final day, the boys had been pulled away to prepare to serve brunch, something the girls were all very excited about. They got ready quickly and headed out to the lawn, stopping in their tracks immediately.

The boys were all dressed in cuffs and collars with barely there bottoms and nothing else. Some of them looked uneasy, but Graham seemed to be feeling incredibly confident. It was unclear, though, if that was the outfit or the fact that two gorgeous women were still fighting over them. None of the girls knew what to say as they looked between the boys and the six tables that had been set up, each with only two chairs.

“Looks like we’ve got to pick a boy, ladies, so I’m going first and claiming Graham,” Hope said quickly with a giggle as she ran off. Marisol rolled her eyes in annoyance as the rest of them paired off. Instead, she wandered off to Tai, earning a huff of annoyance from Priya as the older girl headed to Arjun.

Gemma wandered over to Ciaran, who blushed under her gaze and pulled a chair out for her to sit down. There was something so satisfying about watching a man blush just from a look. In that moment, she pushed it out of her mind that there was a very difficult conversation ahead for the two of them. Brunch was just about having fun and enjoying the last day of Casa Amor before things really kicked off again. It was also for enjoying the boys in even less than they would normally wear. 

As Ciaran asked what she wanted and went off to fetch it, she let almost lazy compliments drop from her lips. She commented on his outfit as she let him see her eyes rake over his body. He blushed again. Then, when she said she felt like so was at a hen party, he nearly spit out his drink. In the back of her mind, she knew that it was not fair to keep doing that. She knew that she was not going to bring him back. Well, she thought she knew she wasn’t bringing him back. She just wanted to enjoy the view for now. 

“So, I was thinking, since it’s the last day, we may need to chat,” Ciaran said.

There it was. The chat. Gemma had known that she could not put it off forever and yet, part of her wished he just would not ask. She put her fork down, having finished eating anyway.

“About it being the last day?” 

“About if it’s  _ my  _ last day.” 

Gemma studied his face for a moment to try and see what he was thinking, but he was impassive. There was nothing there to indicate what he was expecting Gemma to say next. That was making it harder. Did he expect her to keep him?

“Ciaran, these last few days have been exactly what I needed and getting to know you has been incredible. It wasn’t what I was expecting at all.”

“It’s definitely been a lot of fun.”

“But…”

“I was waiting for that.” Ciaran’s face was hard to read. If he was upset, he was doing a good job at not showing it.

“I really listened to what you said last night, I spent a lot of time thinking about that and how I was feeling about Lucas and about being here and all of it. I just think that there are some questions that I still need to have answered, questions that I really should know the answers to by now. Still, I can’t really get the answers I need if I bring you back, even though you absolutely deserve it. You deserve a spot in the villa.”

Gemma sighed and looked down at her plate. In response, Ciaran reached across the table and gently lifted her chin with one finger. His eyes were soft as they took her in.

“I’m not upset with you, Gemma.”

“I really am sorry, Ciaran. It’s been so lovely getting to know you and you’ve been so good to me, I really hate that I have to make this choice.”

“We all knew it was a long shot, us coming in here now and having to basically fight for a spot. I meant it when I told you that if I was going to get to stay, I only wanted it to be for you. I don’t regret not getting to know any of the other girls like that.”

“You’re being far nicer than I deserve.” Gemma smiled sadly at Ciaran, who let his mask slip just for a second for her to see that it had hurt him, even if only a little.

“And hey, who knows? Maybe you’ll be standing at the firepit later, see me all dressed up, and decide you’re going to keep me.”

Gemma glanced at him for a moment before they both laughed. It was far easier than she felt like she had any right to expect. She was thankful for him all the same, though. Her smile and laugh did not quite meet her eyes though and the relief that Gemma had felt was short-lived. This was supposed to be the right decision. The right decision was supposed to bring her some sense of ease. So why was she not feeling relief?

As brunch ended, the Islanders began to disperse around the villa, a clear shift noticeable in the mood. Gemma let her feet carry her over to where Kassam and Lottie were sitting, both of whom immediately smiled as she approached. 

“Babes, we were just talking about you,” Lottie said and Gemma raised an eyebrow.

“Good things I hope,” Gemma said skeptically, causing Lottie to laugh while Kassam only smiled.

“Of course,” Lottie said genuinely and Gemma allowed the tension to ease out of her. She was still on edge from the argument with Priya the day before. “I was just saying to Kassam that I fancied reading my leaves and  _ of course _ he’s not interested. I thought you might be, though. You always seem to be up for something like that.”

“Oh sure! Maybe it’ll help me know that I’m making the right choices,” Gemma agreed.

Truthfully, Gemma was not really all that interested in tarot, tea readings, or anything like that. What she was into, though, was sharing interests with people. Lottie had been making such good strides as softening up around the others and Gemma wanted to encourage that. If that meant that she had to drink some tea and let Lottie read her leaves, well so be it. 

Ten minutes later, the girls were sat on the roof terrace, because, according to Lottie, the kitchen was too busy to do the reading. No matter. Gemma drank as instructed, tried not to complain about the taste, and then followed Lottie’s directions. She handed the cup over and, familiar with the practice having had Lottie read her tea leaves once already, let her mind space out while Lottie was thinking. She could hear splashing from the pool and was glad to know that some of them were making the most of the last day before things kicked off again. 

When Lottie finished scrutinizing the cup, her face scrunched up in concentration, she looked back at Gemma with an uneasy glance. Evidently the cup foretold of some very turbulent times ahead for Gemma. It looked like the next few days were going to be incredibly rocky and that Gemma was going to struggle with a choice. Internally Gemma just figured that could be down to the recoupling later. But Lottie pressed on saying that whatever path Gemma was on now seemed destined for pain and that someone close to her was going to hurt her. As if to not end on a down note, Lottie did point out she saw happiness from an unexpected place in Gemma’s future. 

Gemma did not put much stock in it, even if she pretended for Lottie. After all, Lottie always looked really pleased after getting to do something like that. 

—————————————————-

Hope and Gemma had retreated to the loungers following brunch to discuss the original boys returning and how that was likely to go. Of course, the second they had been done eating, Marisol had whisked Graham away. It was actually shocking she had not caused a scene when Hope had beat her to him.

“So, what are you feeling about the recoupling later?” Hope asked and Gemma sighed.

“I dunno,” Gemma said. “I told Ciaran this morning that I was planning to stick and he just took it all in stride.” 

“I think he knew it was a long shot you’d take him back,” Hope observed.

Gemma chewed on her lip before answering. “He’s such a sweet guy and I do want him to find something out of this. I just...I dunno, I don’t think Lucas would switch and I feel like I owe it to myself to see that through.” 

“For what it’s worth, I do think Ciaran genuinely likes you.”

“I do too, and that’s why it’s so hard. He doesn’t seem to have tried it on with anyone else, I believe him when he said he’d want me to bring him back or not to be brought back at all.”

Hope smiled at her friend. “It’s hard to decide which of you is sweeter, to be honest.”

“Stop that.” Gemma swatted at her friend. “But what about you?”

“What about me?” 

Hope tried to put her best innocent face on and Gemma just rolled her eyes. She was not buying it. It had been clear that Hope was enjoying the time more than anyone had expected her to. “He’s not like anyone I’ve ever dated. I didn’t see myself being interested in him.”

“I like that he kind of stands up to you, in a way, he seems to know how to handle a strong woman.”

A smirk came over Hope’s face. “I wouldn’t mind him handling me.”

The girls burst into a fit of giggles at that, earning curious looks from some of the other Islanders. It was enough to get Lottie to make her way over and settle down at the foot of Gemma’s lounger.

“Okay, are we talking about the recoupling later? I have to know!” Lottie gushed.

“I think Hope here has her eye on a certain sailor,” Gemma said and Hope rolled her eyes but without any annoyance behind it.

“I love this, are you going to pick him?” Lottie asked of Hope.

Hope glanced around to see who else was close enough to possibly hear before leaning in and dropping her voice. “You know, I’d really like to. I’m excited about getting to know him.”

“At least you know he’s definitely coming back,” Gemma offered and Hope frowned.

“Yeah, but I’d like to be the one sharing the bed with him, not having to graft him while he’s officially coupled with someone else,” Hope said.

“I feel that,” Lottie agreed.

“Are you bringing Kassam back?” Gemma asked.

“Yes, you’ll be pleased to know I am, so the friendship can continue,” the goth girl chuckled. 

“Hey, partly it’s just wanting you to be happy. I like this Lottie,” Gemma said, throwing her hands up.

“I do feel bad about Henrik. I worry he may stick,” Lottie said. “We didn’t see much of him in that video and none of it looked particularly flirty.”

“I’m a bit worried about Noah,” Gemma said, glancing at Hope.

“I know, but maybe he’s found someone too, even if he was hardly in the video either. Or maybe that witch will get to pick first tonight and then my choice will be all the simpler,” Hope said.

“I resent you referring to her as a witch, I’m the resident witch in the villa,” Lottie objected and the girls laughed again.

“Is it weird I’m going to miss this grouping a bit?” Hope asked, looking around.

“No, it’s been pretty easy the last few days, very low key,” Gemma agreed.

“Low key for you,” Hope scoffed. Her and Marisol had been at odds since the second day.

“Well, can’t win em all, can you?” Gemma responded, earning an eye roll. “I am going to miss Ciaran a bit.”

“I’m still worried for you, babes, after that reading and the video,” Lottie said, looking over at Gemma, who shrugged. 

“I’ve got to go with my gut on this one,” Gemma responded.

“What if you end up single?” Lottie pushed and Gemma was quiet for a moment.

“Then I end up single and it’s just what was meant to be,” Gemma answered. “It’s a chance I’ve got to take. Taking a chance and ending up single would be  _ miles _ better than bringing someone back and seeing his face if he comes back single.”

The mood was subdued again after brunch. This time, the producers seemed to recognize that it was inevitable and just left them be. After all, they would have to go through a recoupling later, which was sure to provide plenty of opportunity for moments to air. Some people were enjoying the time knowing the decision they were going to make later, like Lottie with Kassam. Others seemed much less sure. Graham had spent his time back and forth between Hope and Marisol, as both had wanted to pull him for chats. Well, Marisol had pulled him for a chat after he had spoken at length to Hope. His decision seemed clear, but really, who knew? It was impossible to tell if any of these boys were just acting to get to stay in the villa.

Lunch was served and the twelve of them sat around a long table, knowing it was going to be their last chance to be in that grouping. There were promises made that they would keep in touch, but Gemma was sure the Islanders said that every season and she wondered how many of them kept those promises. Graham, seeming to be in good spirits, fired off really terrible boating puns. They thought that it could not get any worse...and then Arjun came in with the dog puns. It should not have been as funny as it was, but they were left clutching at stitches in their sides. It was the kind of stupid humor that everyone needed. 

After lunch, the boys all went off to pack their things. Even if they were staying, they would still have to relocate their belongings when they merged the boys, and any Casa girls who were sticking, back into the main villa. Lottie had assured Kassam he did not have to pack, but he only pressed a kiss to her forehead as he followed the others off. Anything could happen later and it was something that they were all feeling.

\-------------------------------------------

The text had come that the Stick or Switch recoupling would be in an hour and that had the girls heading off to get ready. It was actually a welcome change to sitting around and just wondering why things were going to happen. Hope, completely giggly, pulled Gemma off so that they were the first people there to get ready. 

Suddenly, Gemma was just feeling incredibly nervous about the whole situation. Was she making the right choice? Was Lucas going to switch to the girl he’d been seen with throughout the video? She was sure that the boys would have seen a video as well and she was equally sure that she would have been in it. The producers had a knack for creating even more drama and tension with the way they showed things, she knew that from watching previous seasons. She had no idea how she was coming across to the public, but something just told her that she would be in that video.

Lucas had agreed to come on Love Island for Gemma, he had said as much, multiple times. She also knew that she had been keeping him a bit at arm’s length so far, afraid to really and truly pull the trigger on something that had not worked before. Was this really different this time? Was the relationship going to work out? Or did it just feel like it was different because they were in the bubble of a reality dating show? The questions felt overwhelming and Gemma was not sure what to do about any of it. 

Gemma had not realized that she had been standing paralyzed in front of her closet until Hope nudged her hip out of the way and went about rifling through her friend’s closet. Hope pulled out a tight, one shouldered white dress and held it up in front of her friend.

“Wear this, he won’t be able to take his eyes off of you,” Hope said.

“Who?” Gemma asked, studying Hope, who only smirked in return.

“Whoever you pick,” Hope said with a wink.

These were the times when Gemma could not express how thankful she was for Hope. It had seemed simple, just picking out an outfit. To Gemma it had been anything but simple when she was rooted to the spot, unable to move. From there, it seemed easier, Gemma went through getting dressed, fixing her make-up, and doing her hair almost as if on autopilot. That one little thing from Hope had been what helped Gemma unglue from her spot. 

A text rang out in the room and Marisol consulted her phone. “It’s time, ladies.”

One by one, they filed out of the dressing room and made their way to the firepit to find that the boys were already standing in place. The girls took their seats and waited for the instructions and to see who was going to get to pick first. Marisol kept glancing over at where Hope and Gemma sat, likely trying to figure out what Hope was going to do. Hope, for her part, was much less bothered, or at least was trying to be that way. It had seemed like Graham had been favoring Hope, something Marisol had likely noticed as well. But it was all down to the producers to see what happened. 

Gemma’s phone went off and she suddenly found that she was nervous about having to get up in front of them and make a speech about what she was going to do. Hope reached over to squeeze her hand in encouragement as Gemma stood. Her eyes fell on Ciaran and her stomach lurched a little. Whether had been joking or not at brunch that morning, he did look good. The smile he sent her way melted her a bit and suddenly she was much more nervous than she had thought she would be. Was she making a mistake sticking with Lucas? Was it stupid to assume even if Lucas kissed someone else that he’d be coming back to her?

“These last few days have been so much better than I would have imagined they would be. I’m genuinely thankful to have met all of you. When I woke up and realized the boys were gone away to Casa Amor, I admit that I was nervous. I had not left my relationship in the most stable of places,” Gemma began and turned to lock eyes with Ciaran. “Ciaran, you have been the most amazing and patient guy that I could have asked for. Even if I had known what to expect, I don’t think I would have expected meeting someone like you. I thought I’d know exactly what I wanted by now and I’m not really sure that’s true.”

Taking another moment, Gemma looked down so that she could inhale a breath. The air around them was so quiet that all you could hear was the crackling of the fire. It was like nobody even knew if they should let out a breath or not. Finally, Gemma looked back up.

“But, unfortunately, I have to make a decision now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you as always for reading ❤️
> 
> Find me on reddit as GGryffindorJess or tumblr (which I neglect) as marauderno5.


	34. Stick or Switch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry that I left you hanging on that last one, but we're back and we're seeing just what decisions everyone has made.

“But, unfortunately, I have to make a decision now. So I’m going to...stick with Lucas.”

Ciaran clenched his jaw almost imperceptibly for a moment before relaxing and smiling at Gemma. After all, he had known that this was coming. There was just always hoping that it might be different. Gemma had seemed far less sure, standing in front of everyone and having to make the decision. Then again, that could have been playing for the camera. 

Pulling her eyes away from Ciaran, Gemma looked towards the villa, where she had just heard a door open. Why was time moving so slowly? Gemma could hear every beat of her heart, every noise, what sounded like voices before the shutting of a door again. After a moment, she saw Lucas step out...alone. Relief washed over her as she let out the breath that she had not realized she was holding. He smiled at her, the same almost smirk with his eyes alight, and she rushed forward to close the remaining steps between them, jumping into his open arms. Lucas nestled his head in the crook of her neck and she thought she could feel him smile.

Hope smiled at Gemma as she and Lucas took their seats next to her. A moment later, Hope’s phone beeped and she nearly jumped to her feet, a smile wide on her face. Even Gemma found herself smiling and earning a confused look from Lucas. There was no way of knowing how Hope was coming across to the public, but to Gemma she was one of the most amazing people in the world and the producers had to know what they had done with this order.

“My Love Island experience has been an interesting one so far, to say the least. When I coupled up with Noah on the first day, I really thought I had found the boy I was going to go all the way to the end with. Before Casa Amor, we had a really good chat and realized that maybe it was time to be open to other options. I’m so glad we did because I came into these last few days with a clear head and just ready to see what happened. I’m also so pleased to be going second. While this decision has been difficult, I know that it’s the right one. With that being said, I’m going to switch,” Hope said and trained her eyes on the boys, missing Marisol shooting daggers, “to Graham.”

Graham broke into a huge smile and jogged over to Hope, scooping her up into his arms and planting a kiss on her cheek as she giggled in the least Hope-like way that any of them had ever seen. The two of them sat back down and Graham immediately put his arm around Hope. 

“What the hell, Hope?” Marisol nearly spat out, unable to contain herself when neither had looked at her.

“You would have chosen him if you’d gone before me,” Hope commented.

“Of course I would,” Marisol huffed, throwing her hair over her shoulder.

“So...what’s the issue?” Hope asked, genuinely not sure what the problem was.

“You only picked him because you know I wanted to!” Marisol jumped to her feet and was, surprisingly, pulled back by Priya.

“You’re delusional, babes,” Hope said with a chuckle.

“Delusional, huh? It’s so obvious what you’re doing, we can all see it,” Marisol said and was about to carry on when someone else cut across.

  
“Now, that’s enough, Marisol,” Graham said firmly from his position beside Hope. “I was clear with you that I wanted to get to know you both and I was clear with you today that I would prefer you not pick me.”

“What?” Gemma would not contain the word before it flew out of her mouth.

“Only because she’s fed you all sorts of lies,” Marisol spat back.

“Enough, this isn’t the time,” Graham said, effectively ending the conversation.

He was right. There was a recoupling to get through. Hope reached out to Gemma without even thinking as they waited to see what Noah had done. The door opened and closed as it had for Lucas. The tension felt very different. A part of Gemma’s heart sank a moment later when Noah appeared, also alone. His face seemed almost impassive at first as he surveyed Hope with her new man, but then he smiled the same way he had so far that summer and approached. 

“Babes, I’m so sorry,” Hope said when he was close enough to hear. 

“It’s cool,” Noah said, waving a hand. 

Gemma was watching his face to look for a sign that he was bothered. That was the thing about Noah, though, he had been very even about most things so far that summer. There was nothing to show that he was upset about this happening now.

“This is Graham,” Hope said, almost uneasy. 

“Nice to meet you,” Graham said, shaking Noah’s extended hand. 

“You too, mate,” Noah responded and took a seat between Hope and Gemma. He turned to Gemma with a smile that seemed somewhat strained. It was completely at odds with his easy smile at Hope and Graham. “I’m glad it’s worked out for you both.”

Lucas’ arm tightened almost imperceptibly around Gemma, but being as close to him as she was, she still felt it. It seemed odd that he would seem effortlessly happy with Hope and let her see his mask slip. Was he holding out to make up with Hope? She was interrupted from giving it any more thought as Chelsea was up next and made a speech about how as much as she had enjoyed her time and getting to know Nicky, she was going to be sticking with Rocco. She was very clear, though, that it was because she had met someone else in the villa that she really wanted to get a chance to know. For all of the perceived faults about Chelsea and her bubbly nature, she was really quite perceptive. More than that, she had been surprisingly thoughtful in her speech.

Rocco, surprising literally nobody except possibly Marisol, came back with a tall, slender girl with plain brown hair and what appeared to be knock off everything. Gemma had not even bothered listening for her name and instead had looked to Chelsea, who seemed entirely unbothered by the development. 

Lottie went next, and with a look to Chelsea, apologized for having to switch. Chelsea smiled her easy smile and nodded at Lottie to go ahead. The goth girl continued with what a hard time she had had so far in the villa and how excited she was to have the chance to start something new with Kassam. 

Henrik came out alone and his eyes first went to Chelsea, smiling that she was also sitting alone. He made a quick detour to tell Lottie he understood and meet Kassam. When he turned to Chelsea, she was on her feet and jumping into his arms seemingly before he had even fully turned to her. They sat next to each other and Chelsea looked like she was going to bounce out of her seat. Winding a hand around her, Henrik seemed to absorb some of her energy and bring more peace to her. Gemma had not even realized it before but they would balance each other out really well. Henrik was just what Chelsea needed to keep up with her but also keep her grounded.

Marisol’s phone went off next and she rose to her feet, initially looking annoyed before a worrisome look settled on her face. She was literally a wild card and they never knew what she was going to do one minute to the next.

“I think it’s fair to say that I went into the last few days a little confused. I had been blindsided at the last recoupling when my partner picked someone else,” Marisol said, throwing an annoyed glance at Rocco and his new girl. “Then, I got to know another boy, only have to have someone else bring him back. No matter, though. I think that if this experience has taught me anything, it’s that you have to be open to the unexpected. So, since I was planning to switch, I’m still going to do that. The boy I’d like to switch to is...Ciaran.”

There were shocked sounds from around the fire as the girls all looked at Marisol, genuinely surprised at her decision. The boys still standing on the other side of the fire all exchanged surprised glances before Tai clapped Ciaran on the shoulder and nudged him forward. His eyes fell on Gemma and there was nothing but confusion there. They had spent the last several days getting to know each other and it was already hard enough to make the decision she had made. Now, he was staying in the villa after all and things seemed much more complicated.

In all the confusion of Marisol switching to Ciaran, nobody noticed Gary returning with a new Islander until he had reached the fire. Beside him stood a calm and collected woman with a mess of red curls contrasting with her pale skin and some seriously killer curves. Her smile said there was much more to her than met the eye and she was definitely the same girl they had seen Gary kissing in the video. 

Introductions were made briefly and Noah rose to try and calm down all the side conversations. There was only one decision remaining, after all, and then they would all have plenty of time for the conversations to be had. Lucas had remained very quiet as he gazed over at Ciaran, not at all comfortable with the look he had given Gemma.

Priya rose and smoothed her dress out, the action at odds with her usual confidence. “The last few days have been really interesting for me. I’ve had a lot of time to think and to figure out what it is that’s best for me. I had also been hoping to figure some things out and while that hasn’t happened, at least I know what I want to do now. I think my actions during the Casa Amor break made it clear that I wanted to give it a shot with Jakub. I really feel like there’s something real there and I want to see that through. So, I’m going to stick.”

Priya avoided looking at anyone, especially Tai, whose shoulders slumped a bit at the announcement. The gentle giant seemed to have thought there was at least a chance that she would keep him around. It made Gemma annoyed at the older woman all over again. Priya had spent so much time away from the others the past few days, which they all assumed meant she was getting to know Tai better. It made Gemma wonder just what had happened during the last few days. The real question, though, was what had Jakub done. Having this be last surely meant there was going to be drama.

Sure enough, moments later, Jakub emerged from the villa, holding hands with a new girl. She was shorter with sun tanned skin and shoulder length blonde hair. There was something about her that just seemed..familiar. Gemma could not place it, even when Noah groaned from next to her. Priya looked genuinely shocked as she took in the sight before her. It certainly seemed like she had expected him to stick with her as well. That, or she was just a really good actor. There was another look on her face that was hard to place. It was more than shock, it looked like...genuine distaste at the situation in front of her.

“What’s up, this is…” Jakub began before Priya cut across him.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Priya nearly screeched.

“Look, babes,” Jakub began and Priya strode over so she was nearly in his face. As tall as he was, Priya was nearly even with him in her heels. Something about her attitude seemed to have made him smaller.

“Don’t give me ‘look babes’ when we literally did bits the morning you left for Casa,” Priya shouted, anger apparent in her eyes. “And then, to top it all off, you not only bring back a girl, you bring back some discount knockoff of  _ Gemma _ ? Gemma! You didn’t even bring back a knockoff of me.”

“I don’t think I’m actually a knock off,” the girl interrupted. “You know, I  _ do  _ actually have an EP out, which Gemma hasn’t managed yet.”

“Gemma’s done vocals for some really well known artists,” Kassam interjected.

“And she also was an international ballroom champion before that, so I’d say she’s doing just fine,” Hope added, causing the girl to blush.

“Okay, I don’t give a shit about that! You can all brag about  _ perfect _ Gemma later,” Priya said waving her arms and glaring back at Jakub. “You  _ promised me _ you were in this. I just don’t get how you could play me like that.”

“You can’t help these things,” Jakub said and offered a shrug that was far to smug for anyone’s liking.

A beep chimed out interrupting the argument. Nicky extracted his phone from his pocket. “ _ Nicky, Tai, and Arjun, as the recoupling is over and you remain single, please get ready to leave the villa immediately. #partysover #closingtime _ ”

That ended the argument, if only for a short time, as the three boys who had been left single were now dumped and had to head home. Kassam, Graham, and Ciaran went to help the other three make sure they were packed. Ciaran had cast a glance back at Gemma that was full of meaning. There was no time to dissect that now, but there was definitely a conversation that needed to happen there.

Once the dumped Islanders had packed up, everyone gathered at the front of the villa to say their goodbyes. The boys who had returned from Casa Amor as well as the girls that returned with them mostly hung back, not having met Tai, Nicky, or Arjun. It was probably for the best anyway. Things felt a bit crowded.

Gemma gave each of them a hug and a kiss on the cheek before returning to her spot beside Lucas to wave them off. As soon as they were out of sight, everyone seemed unsure of what to do next. There were now 18 Islanders and things felt a bit...crowded. Lucas clutched Gemma closer to him and bent down, his breath ghosting across her ear. 

“Let’s go catch up,” he said quietly. 

She turned in his grasp and met his eyes, not entirely sure what was there in the depths but also completely unable to resist the pull. All she could do was nod as he removed his arm from her waist and instead clutched her hand to lead her out to the daybeds. 

Before she even realized, Lucas had closed the space between them and covered her lips with his own. It was impossible to keep the gasp from escaping her lips, which was immediately followed by a sigh. It was familiar and yet incredibly exciting. Gemma let his tongue into her own mouth and melted into the moment. When they pulled away, she was somehow out of breath and couldn’t explain it.

“I thought we were talking,” Gemma said and nearly melted further under the intensity of his stare.

“Well, I thought I ought to remind you what you had been missing the last few days,” Lucas said with a smirk and Gemma’s stomach fluttered.

“Is that so?”

“It is,” Lucas responded confidently. “I do have to ask, though, it seems like there was something weird happening with who Marisol picked? Something about him looked a bit...familiar.”

“Ah well, we may as well just launch into it, I suppose?”

“Is there something to launch into?” 

It was impossible to read Lucas’ expression as he asked that question. Surely the boys had gotten a video and as she had been spending quite a lot of time with Ciaran, Gemma was sure she would have been in it. 

“I’m not sure, I suppose? Did you get a video as well?”

“Yeah we did, you were in it a decent amount,” Lucas said and sighed.

“I think the whole break came at a really interesting time. So I was getting to know Ciaran a bit and I do feel like I should tell you that I did kiss him outside of just challenges. And I shared a bed with him, but we didn’t, like, cuddle or anything like that.”

Lucas frowned for a minute and his jaw seemed to clench as he looked away. When he looked back at Gemma, his face was impassive. “This...Ciaran. He’s the one that Marisol brought back?”

“Yeah, he is. I still don’t even know why she did that,” Gemma said and then seemed to have another thought. “I could take a guess, I suppose.”

“I’m all ears.”

  
“Both she and Hope were getting to know the same guy, the one that Hope picked.”

“Who seems very different from what I’d expect for her.” Lucas’ look was unreadable at that statement but Gemma smiled, knowing that it would be easy for everyone to see that Hope and Graham actually worked well, despite seeming to be very mismatched.

“Give it time, you’ll understand,” Gemma said before carrying on. “So, I don’t know, I suppose she was mad she didn’t get to pick Graham and mad that Rocco had done what everyone else expected Rocco to do. She may have even been thinking that Gary would bring someone back and she just wanted to be safe.”

“But why the very person you’d been close to the entire time...or I should say one of the ones you appeared close to.”

That question had left Gemma feeling really confused and it must have shown all over her face because Lucas seemed to have regretted saying it. She waited, hoping that he would say something. The silence dragged on.

“What do you mean one of the ones?” Gemma frowned at Lucas.

“Like I said, you were in the video a fair bit. They showed you kissing Ciaran, which you’ve already mentioned, but they also showed you kissing...I think his name is Kassam? The one Lottie brought back.”

Gemma laughed and immediately tried to stop herself because Lucas did not look impressed by the reaction. Trying to stop herself from laughing was only making her laugh more, though. “Oh, Lucas, no. That was a challenge. And they may have shown something with him and I, but really we’re friends.”

“You seemed to have gotten close to him.” Lucas was more serious than Gemma was expecting.

“I mean, yeah, we did get close. But I’d actually met him at that music festival, the one from the…”

“Tweet, yeah,” Lucas finished.

“Yeah, well I’d forgotten, but it was cool to see him again. It’s nice to have someone else around that really gets it about the music. I got to singing a bit while he was around. It was nice. I don’t know, it’s good to find friends too.”

Lucas was quiet for a moment and Gemma was trying to figure out what was going on in his head. This was not how she had imagined any of this going at all. While they were talking, though, she wanted to get it all out.

“What about you? What was it like in Casa Amor?” Gemma asked and it broke Lucas out of his thoughts. 

“It was a bit of a trip, if I’m honest. I did also kiss someone outside of the challenges, on the first night. I can say that I kind of got caught up in it all with everything being so new. I don’t know, I was thinking a lot about you. So, I kind of told her after that first night that it really wasn’t what I wanted and that I missed you.”

“You missed me?” 

Lucas turned to lock eyes with her, all the intensity there that she had grown to expect and Gemma felt her chest tighten just at the look. His eyes glinted with mischief and one corner of his mouth quirked up. He had gotten exactly the reaction that he wanted.

“Of course I missed you, darling, I did come on a reality show to get you to give me another chance.”

It should not have worked. Gemma told herself that it should not have worked. There were still so many questions that she needed answered and so many things that they needed to discuss. None of that seemed to matter in that moment. He missed her and she had been on his mind. All she wanted to do was lean forward and kiss him. So, she did. What was the point in denying herself from doing something that she wanted to do?

Lucas reached for her and Gemma slid into his lap without a second thought. With his hands on either side of her face, he drew her into him, stopping just shy of pressing his lips to her, but close enough that she could feel his hot breath on her skin. It was almost painful, the pause before he let their lips touch, and Gemma tried to close the gap herself, only to have him pull back with a light chuckle. God, that chuckle was so infuriating. Gemma was about to pull back herself when he drew her in again, moving his lips quickly against hers. It made her feel stupid, as she sighed into his mouth, but she could not help it. This was so easy, so natural.

When the kiss broke off, they idly chatted about some of the funnier things that happened during Casa Amor when Hope strolled over to introduce Graham to Lucas. That may have become Gemma’s new highlight. It was no secret that she and Hope were thick as thieves. But seeing Graham and Lucas exchanging introductions was far funnier than it should have been. Graham, with his booming laugh, tattoos, and relatively carefree attitude were a direct contract to Lucas. Of course, the girls were not expecting the two to be friends. They just not had not let the boys in on that secret.

Not wanting to push their luck, Hope and Gemma suggested they join some of the others in the kitchen as the night was winding down. When they approached, Noah was letting them know that the producers had to add beds given all the new couples and the fact that there were four singles. Henrik and Chelsea wanted to share, but nobody was expecting Noah to share with Priya. That was shudder inducing, more so when they reminded Noah he’d been coupled with her already.

The mood, at least with some of the Islanders, was light when they headed off to bed. Gemma found herself unable to pull her eyes away from Lucas, which made it easier to ignore the eyes that were on her. And it was certainly more than one set of eyes on her.


	35. Nowhere is Safe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We're back from Casa Amor and nowhere in the villa is safe, especially with so many people. Why not throw in a challenge to push the tensions even higher?

With the sheer amount of emotion involved in the recoupling the night before, it had not been a surprise that many of the Islanders had fallen asleep easily. The bigger challenge, at least for Gemma, had been staying asleep. There were more people in the shared bedroom than ever before, more sounds of snoring, more sneaky kisses throughout the night. Learning to share the bedroom had been hard enough. There was no getting used to this many people all crammed into it. 

That had been part of the reason Gemma had woken up early and wandered out to the kitchen, bleary eyed, to make herself some tea. As she was waiting for the water to boil, she glanced out to see a mess of blonde hair sticking out from under a duvet on one of the daybeds. _Chelsea and Henrik_ , she thought. There was something incredibly sweet about the thought of those two getting away from the chaos of the shared bedroom to share with each other. Not wanting to disturb them, she removed the kettle the very second it started to wind up to a whistle, quickly made her tea, and headed back inside. 

There was a feeling that today was going to be filled with a lot of conversations, raised voices, and heightened emotions, all of which had been pushed to the side last night. It seemed there had been an unspoken agreement that it could wait. Gemma came back to feeling annoyed with Marisol. The decision to stick with Lucas had not been one she made easily or lightly. She had weighed a lot of information, thoughts, feelings, everything. It had been hard, but Gemma had been at peace with it. And then Marisol had to go and do something only Marisol could have thought to do. Why did she have to bring him back?

As if on cue, the door to the terrace opened and Ciaran stepped outside, looking just as bleary eyed as Gemma had felt when she stumbled out to make tea.

“I thought you’d be here when I saw you weren’t in bed,” Ciaran commented and sighed heavily. 

“It’s a bit busy in there,” Gemma admitted, earning a nod from Ciaran. “You can sit down, if you like.”

“Thanks.” Ciaran moved to sit beside Gemma, leaving a careful distance between them. It felt like everything had shifted and neither really knew what this was supposed to look like now.

“I’m sorry, Ciaran, I really don’t even know what to say. I wasn’t expecting last night to go how it did.”

“It’s okay, I knew that you picking me was pretty unlikely. It was just...for a moment there, I wasn’t sure.” 

“For a moment, neither was I.”

Gemma’s words seemed to hang heavy between the two of them. It was something Ciaran had thought he had seen when she was standing before them and making a decision. It had seemed like for a moment she had been genuinely unsure. But it was very different having her sit here in the quiet of the early morning and admit that she had not been sure. It was hard to know if that was better or worse, knowing there was a moment where she might’ve chosen him.

“You seemed sure, when we talked yesterday morning, that you were picking Lucas.” 

Ciaran was not sure what made him say it, was not even sure if he wanted to carry on down this line of conversation. Yet, he could not stop the words before they slipped from his lips.

“I was sure. At least, I thought I was sure. I don’t know. This place messes with your head a bit, doesn’t it?” Gemma looked to Ciaran for reassurance and he nodded his head in agreement. “I had a moment of wondering, but then I also realized things felt unfinished with Lucas and it wouldn’t be fair to anyone to pick someone new when I still had questions there.”

“I hope you get the answers to those questions, if you haven’t already.” Ciaran realized he was almost holding his breath as he said this, wondering if she had gotten the answers that she needed. He studied her face as she gazed, almost seeming zoned out, into the depths of her tea.

“Yeah, so do I.” 

Gemma’s response was so quiet, he almost did not hear it. So, whatever she had talked about the night before with Lucas, she still did not have the answers that she needed. That was somewhat interesting information.

He carefully steered the conversation elsewhere, realizing that there was nothing more to say on the subject of what happened at the recoupling the night before. When Gemma was finished with her tea, she politely excused herself to head back down to the kitchen. 

All Gemma had managed to do in the kitchen was rinse out her cup before she was witnessing her first argument of the day. Priya stalked after Jakub, shouting at him about how he had played her, made her look like a fool, and the list went on. There was a moment where Gemma actually felt for Priya. It was obvious that some of argument came from Priya’s sense of hurt pride. Her face betrayed her, though, and it was clear that part of her was also hurt at the decision Jakub made. 

“If you wanted to be with Gemma _so bad_ that you brought back that stupid knockoff, you should’ve just picked her at the recoupling before Casa. You picked first. You could have had anyone!” Priya’s voice echoed through the villa. If there was anyone still asleep, they would surely wake up from that.

“I won’t have you speaking about Abby that way,” Jakub responded with an ugly look on his face.

_Ah_ , Gemma thought, _so that’s what her name is._

Since the kitchen was no longer safe, Gemma headed off in search of somewhere else to hide out and escape from the raised voices. But, raised voices and arguments appeared to be the theme of the morning, with Marisol shouting at Rocco about all the ways he had betrayed her when she had done everything for him. Even though Gemma was mildly interested in what exactly Marisol had done, she was not about to get in the middle of that. Rocco, in the most on-brand move anyone could have expected, waxed on about this being a journey for his soul that he had to follow wherever it took him. 

“I thought you got that Mari,” Rocco said, almost patronizingly. “Sometimes our souls only connect for a moment and sometimes it’s much longer. Our soul connection was fleeting. And it was wonderful, but my connection now to Blake, that’s the stuff of poetry.”

“Gary said she tried it on with every lad in the villa!” Marisol’s face had gone red from being so angry. 

Another turn for Gemma as she sought to avoid another row that she did not want or need to be part of. There were still likely countless discussions to be had and Gemma was even wondering if she would get dragged into any of them. There was no need to get involved in rows where she was not even close to those fighting.

The producers provided them breakfast that morning, which had to be spread out over multiple tables with so many of them. The fighting appeared to have paused for the time being, something the others were all incredibly thankful for. On the other hand, there also was not much chatter at all while they were eating. Everyone was either tired from the night before, appreciating the calm before the storm, or seething with words still unsaid.

Unfortunately, the moment breakfast was over, the fighting resumed again. It was exhausting, even though Gemma was not really feeling involved in any of it. It was still wearing her out and she just wanted all of it to be over. There was a part of her that just wanted everyone to get along. But, nowhere was safe.

“You could have at least had the decency to tell me you were going to pick him,” Marisol hurled at Hope, who only laughed in return.

“Oh that’s rich, you lecturing me about decency,” Hope responded.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Marisol asked, arms crossed.

“Tell me, Marisol, who was it that went down on Rocco in the Beach Hut the same day Lucas and Henrik came into the villa?” Hope asked.

“I didn’t...who told you that?” Marisol spluttered, color having drained from her face.

“That’s what I thought,” Hope responded.

While Gemma was always one to stick up for her friends, she also knew that Hope was more than capable of handling herself and Marisol would likely be done soon. Or, more likely, Marisol would move back into berating someone else. 

“Please, just because you haven’t been anyone’s first choice doesn’t mean you need to hop all over me because you look like a pathetic single old lady with me here,” Abby said to Priya, who blanched at the insult.

“Oh yes, you should feel so proud, you managed to convince someone who’d been in the villa a matter of days to bring your skanky ass back,” Priya said with an eyeroll. “Well done, bravo.”

“You’re just jealous because you’re the one sitting here looking…” 

“Looking what? Going to reuse the same words again?” Priya was challenging her now. “And just what did you have to do to be brought back here. I’ve heard Jakub wasn’t the only one you tried to make a move on, but that’s not my business.”

Priya whipped around on her heel and stalked off, head held high, trying to regain some of her high ground from before. A person could get whiplash from how quickly things were moving. 

Through all of it, Gemma had been somewhat surprised to not have seen Lucas. She knew that he had been called into the Beach Hut to talk about them being back together. But that had felt like it was a while ago. Where was he now? She shook her head and cleared the thought, there was so much chaos that it was easy to miss people.

\--------------------------------------------------------

The Islanders had gotten the text and were all lined up at the challenge stage. At one end, a banner reading _Snog, Marry, Pie_ hung. The boys and the girls were split up and each in a row on either side of a cart carrying whipped cream pies and oversized plastic rings. The game was simple and they had all played it at some point in their lives. But there was always something a bit different here because usually you picked the person you liked most to marry. Since they had to actually kiss the person they chose for snog, there was almost an expectation you’d pick your partner.

Lottie’s phone went off, indicating the girls were going first and she would be kicking things off. Surprising nobody, she chose to snog Kassam. The next decision seemed harder for her as she went to grab a ring and carefully looked up and down the line of boys. Eventually, she walked up to Henrik and proposed. With a laugh, he accepted. She strode confidently back to the cart and grabbed a pie, sending it into Rocco’s face without a second thought, earning giggles from a number of the girls and chuckles from several boys. Rocco ended up joining in the laughter and shrugging as he wiped the cream off.

That broke the ice and everyone seemed to relax a little. Hope was next, kissing Graham, proposing to Noah, which surprised several, and pieing Jakub. The mood was still light, though. Chelsea kissed Henrik, making everyone sigh with the overload of cuteness. But, things could not stay drama free forever, and when it was Priya’s turn, several of the girls shared concerned looks. She was single, after all, and who could really be sure what she was about to do?

She made a show of walking up and down the line of boys before stopping in front of Lucas to kiss him. For a second, it was like time was standing still. Gemma could honestly not believe her eyes. It took Lucas a moment to realize what was happening before breaking off the kiss and narrowing his eyes at her.

“He’s a good kisser, Gemma, I see why you like him,” Priya commented with a wink.

Gemma’s jaw clenched and she was about to say something when Hope clutched her hand and pulled her attention away.

“Just ignore her, babes,” Hope said quickly to her friend, who did try to calm down.

Gemma looked over to see Lucas’s eyes on her. It seemed as if he was trying to figure out what she was thinking, but she only sighed and shook her head. Thankfully, she had missed the rest of what had happened.

It only got more tense when Marisol went next and Graham, despite the fact that she had brought Ciaran back. Hope, however, was much calmer than Gemma expected, just shrugging the whole thing off. 

When it came time for Gemma’s turn, it was easy to pick who she was going to kiss. She strode confidently up to Lucas and pulled him deep into a kiss, taking only a second to slide her tongue into his mouth. His arms snaked around her waist, pulling her tight against his chest. They pulled apart, both slightly breathless and Gemma could not stop herself from turning around to look at Priya.

“I choose to snog _my partner_ , Lucas, obviously,” Gemma said.

She walked over to the cart and grabbed a ring before looking back at the boys. This should have been easy. _Just pick someone you’re friends with_ , she told herself. Her gaze flicked between Noah and Kassam, both of whom had been incredibly supportive of her during their time so far. Ultimately, though, she was closer to one than the other.

“You’ve been such a good friend to me in here, always listening to my ramblings even when they don’t make sense. Will you marry me?” Gemma asked, presenting the ring.

“Course,” Noah said easily with a smile that Gemma returned. She gave him a brief hug and headed off to pick up her pie.

She walked down the line of boys and a thought occurred to her. “Now, I think there are actually several boys who deserve this, but I’m going to pie this boy because I hope it breaks a bit of the tension of me actually pieing him off, only to have him stick around after all.”

Gemma carefully pressed the pie into Ciaran’s face and stepped back, worried she had done the wrong thing. He wiped his face off and immediately started laughing. Relief flooded over her as she joined in. 

“At least this time it tastes a lot better,” Ciaran joked.

“Sorry, babes,” Gemma said. And she did mean it.

The laughter was a welcome change in the villa with how tense it had been throughout the morning. And Gemma was still more than a bit angry at Priya for having kissed Lucas. What was she playing at? She was going to pick the same person who had come into the villa for Gemma? The same person who had actually stayed loyal during Casa Amor?

Gemma completely zoned out during new girl Shannon’s turn, but was able to figure out she had kissed Gary, proposed to Henrik, and thrown the pie at Rocco. It seemed that there had been some joking about her limited patience for his stories. _Same girl_ , Gemma found herself thinking.

Abby went next and snogged Jakub, smirking at Priya before doing so and earning an eye roll in exchange. Before she proposed to Henrik, saying she had not really been sure who to pick, and quickly chucked a pie in Lucas’s face with a significant look. _What the hell was that?_ Gemma glanced over at Lucas as he was wiping the cream from his eyes. He gave her a half-hearted shrug but something felt off. Had they really gotten through it all the night before.

It was not until Kassam was standing before her that Gemma even realized that the boys were taking their turns and he was proposing to her. She forced a laugh and nodded in acceptance. She was not surprised when Noah proposed to her as well, but was completely caught off guard when Graham did. Not as caught off guard as when Ciaran kissed her, though, and commented that he had to follow what felt right. She composed herself enough to laugh when he pied Abby and the game went on. 

Though Gemma had thought this might have been to distract from drama, she now realized it was only meant to increase it. At least they got to get some aggression out with the pies. One pie was not enough, though, and Gemma had several pies she’d like to throw at the other girls as well. Still, Gemma had been thankful that none of the guys wanted to shove a pie into her face. She didn’t mind getting a little dirty but it was nice to know that she wasn’t at the top of anyone’s hit list.

\-----------------------------------------------------

There were a lot of thoughts swirling around in Gemma’s head after the challenge. She very much wanted to have a chat with Priya about why she had chosen Lucas to snog. But there were also so many fights going on that Gemma did not really want to add another one. Besides, Priya was not the only person on her mind after the challenge.

It had not seemed like that big of a deal, but something was eating at Gemma over the way Abby had thrown a pie at Lucas. What had he done that made him worse than the others? If Abby had said it was just for someone to throw it at, that would have been fine. No harm done in that. Gemma had made a joke out of her pie, after all. But something just wasn’t feeling right. After trying to push it away and not having success, Gemma decided that it would just be in everyone’s best interest for her to speak to him about it. So, after dinner, she had pulled him away to the firepit so that they could talk.

“Everything all right, darling?” Lucas asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Erm, I’m not sure,” Gemma responded. “It’s about the challenge today.”

“Oh, are you checking in because Ciaran kissed you?” Lucas had immediately assumed it was about that and that made her pause for a second. Was there something she should be worried about there too?

“I didn’t imagine you were concerned about that, but were you?” Gemma watched as his face changed a little in reaction to what she had said. There was something off again and it was making her uneasy. “I mean, he had to kiss someone and I wasn’t surprised he didn’t kiss Marisol, they’ve barely spoken.”

“Yeah, you’re right, it’s nothing to be concerned about.” Lucas had answered quickly but instead of easing Gemma’s worries, they increased. “So, what did you want to talk about?”

“Well, I suppose I was a bit curious about why Abby pied you,” Gemma admitted, feeling silly even as the words came out.

“It’s like you said with Ciaran, isn’t it? She had to pie someone.”

Gemma gazed at him for a long moment, trying to understand what the look on his face was. There was something there that was different. Something he seemed like he didn’t want her to see. “It just seemed like maybe something had happened with her is all, something for her to be upset about. Like with Ciaran, I did it to be funny. She didn’t seem like she was doing it to be funny, there was...I don’t know, there was a look.” 

“I can’t think of anything, I kept my head down for most of Casa Amor, just hung out with Henrik and sometimes Gary when he wasn’t all over Shannon.” Lucas cleared his throat a little and adjusted his position on the bench. “Maybe she was upset I didn’t give her a shot, but she got her ticket back to the villa, didn’t she?”

Gemma frowned but nodded. She had no reason not to trust Lucas. He had not given her any reason not to trust him. Yet, there was this feeling in the pit of her stomach that something was looming, that there was something she wasn’t seeing. Seeing he was watching her, she pulled a smile back onto her face and he smiled in response. There was no point starting the 43rd argument of the day.

“Can I ask you...did you kiss her during Casa?” Gemma was honestly not sure why she was pushing this the way that she was, she was not sure what she expected to gain. Yet there was just something that made her keep wanting to know.

Lucas looked at her for a second and seemed almost annoyed that she had asked. He quickly rearranged the look on his face to look comforting a second later. “We might have kissed during a challenge. I wasn’t really keeping track.”

It was as much as she was going to get out of him in that moment, that much was very clear. It was really probably nothing. Gemma knew that she had some issues with trust after Callum, and the countless others in her life who had let her down. It was not fair to paint Lucas with the same brush, not fair to assume the worst in him. A small nagging voice that had been in the back of her head was getting louder by the day, though. That small voice had been reminding her that she had called it off for a reason before coming on the show. 

Her reverie was momentarily broken by Lucas saying he was going to go and check on Henrik. She was so deep in thought that she did not even consider that Henrik did not need to be checked on. All she could do was nod and smile as he pressed a light kiss to her temple and walked off. Lucas was a great guy, Gemma had never had reason to think differently. Was he a great guy for her? That had been the question. On their first actual date, he had asked her where she saw herself when she imagined her ideal partner. It had been an unusual question but once she had understood, she had answered that she saw him as someone that would be supportive of her dreams but also completely fine curled up on the couch in front of the fire, having a night in. He had frowned for a second at that, blink and you would have missed it, before smirking at her. When he had refused to give his own answer, she had only laughed. Now she was left wondering. How did Lucas imagine his ideal partner?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for continuing to read ❤️


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